We use the vernacular term “porak” in Sri Lankan politics to describe anyone but a Leftist, Marxist-Leninist politician. How naïve we were. Our collective perception seemed to dictate that they (the JVP and NPP) were simply incapable and incompetent, lacking everything required to build a nation. How wrong we were.
Look at how dramatically things have changed. It is quite remarkable, isn’t it? Anura Kumara Dissanayake is the leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a party with Marxist-Leninist roots. Despite having no conventional political credentials or impressive list of accolades, he has successfully helped transform the party from its historically radical past into a mainstream democratic force.
He is, without doubt, a porak. The ninth Executive President of Sri Lanka since 23 September 2024, he won on a platform centred on anti-corruption, economic relief, accountability for wrongdoers and transparent governance.
In Sinhala vernacular usage, “porak” (පොරක්), derived from “pora” (පොර), translates colloquially as a “guy”, “dude”, “big shot” or “notable character”. It is one of the most widely used slang terms in Sri Lanka to describe a man. When combined with an intensifier, as in “maara porak”, it conveys admiration for someone who is outstanding, impressive, cool or highly capable. It suggests that the person is a somebody, perhaps even a legend in his own right.
By that definition, Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) is undoubtedly a maara porak. His rise to power represents a major shift in Sri Lankan politics, breaking with a decades-old tradition of leadership dominated by wealthy political dynasties.
He was, without doubt, the ultimate underdog. Coming from a humble rural farming family with no established political dynasty behind him, he began his presidential journey on the margins of national politics. In the 2019 presidential election, he secured just 3 per cent of the vote. However, he capitalised on public fury following Sri Lanka’s devastating economic collapse in 2022. Running on an anti-corruption platform that also promised relief for ordinary people, he led the National People’s Power (NPP) coalition to victory in September 2024.
He seized the opportunity when it presented itself. At this rate, he and his team could prove exceptionally difficult to dislodge. Dissanayake capitalised on widespread public anger following the 2022 economic crisis, transforming himself from a marginal political figure into the country’s president. He recognised a historic opportunity and presented his coalition as the alternative to decades of entrenched political power. Positioning himself as a champion of the fight against corruption and political impunity, he promised to enforce the law equally, regardless of an individual’s social standing or political connections.
His anti-corruption, anti-establishment platform resonated deeply with an electorate exhausted by economic hardship. This enabled him to win the presidency in September 2024, followed by a sweeping parliamentary victory for the NPP.
The uncomfortable reality is that Sri Lankans were deceived while the plunder continued. For five decades, the country’s political establishment presided over a system that ultimately left the nation bankrupt and its economy at a standstill.
Comrade AKD has changed that political equation. He deserves another mandate, perhaps even more than one, if he continues to deliver on his promises. It appears that the Clean Sri Lanka initiative is making progress, and that the political consciousness of Sri Lankans is also undergoing a much-needed transformation. Yet the susceptibility of sections of the electorate, particularly among the Sinhala-Buddhist majority, to rhetoric wrapped in crude demagoguery remains a serious concern. This represents an ominous, built-in threat to democracy itself.
May Sri Lanka rapidly achieve the social, economic and moral progress its people deserve.
