Sri Lanka’s civil war ended 15 years ago, but for many, the trauma of decades of fighting hasn’t been adequately addressed. And now, climate change poses new risks, and some observers say people who acquired a disability during the conflict are most vulnerable.
Sri Lanka, which imports its fuel, currently lacks enough dollars to buy adequate supplies of gasoline, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene. That’s impacting the country’s fishing industry, with people running out of fuel for their boats.
Traffic has begun trickling back into the streets of Colombo, Sri Lanka. But the economic crisis and fuel shortages have many people still waiting in long queues to refuel their vehicles. Some people have even been stuck in line for days.
Australia and Sri Lanka are usually bitter rivals on the pitch during cricket matches. But Sri Lankans are welcoming the Australian team and its fans as a much-needed distraction from their country’s recent political and economic turmoil.