As the initial wave of euphoria following the election victory begins to settle, the National People’s Power (NPP) government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) faces a sobering reality. According to Jamila Hussain, Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Mirror, the President’s most formidable enemy is not the political opposition, but the entrenchment within the state apparatus itself—the “Deep State.”
In a candid interview with veteran journalist Shihar Aneez on the Insight program, Hussain dissected the current political landscape, arguing that the government’s “honeymoon period” is officially over, and the time for delivering tangible results has arrived.
The Enemy Within: The Bureaucratic Mafia
The most critical takeaway from Hussain’s analysis is her characterization of Sri Lanka’s bureaucracy. She identifies it not merely as a slow-moving machine, but as a “Deep State” capable of sabotaging governance from the inside.
“Governments change, but the officials remain. They hold the real power,” Hussain observed. “The biggest challenge for President Dissanayake is not the opposition parties, but this Deep State that has been rooted for decades. They have the power to hide files, delay decisions, and embarrass the President before the public. Sabotaging governance from within is their game.”
She warns that unless the President can effectively dismantle or tame this bureaucratic mafia, any hope for a genuine “System Change” will remain a distant dream.
End of the Honeymoon: The Public Demands Results
Responding to Aneez, Hussain emphasized that the warmth of the electoral victory is fading. The public, grappling with economic hardships, is now looking for solutions beyond rhetoric.
“The honeymoon period is over. People voted for a change,” she noted. “It’s not enough that the fuel queues are gone; people are starting to question the cost of living and the economic direction. The President must now stop the popular speeches, face the ground reality, and take hard decisions.”
Tourism Failures and Management Crises
The interview also touched upon the recent setbacks in the tourism sector, specifically referring to the visa controversies (termed the ‘Ditto’ disaster in the discussion). Hussain critiqued these not as mere technical glitches, but as failures of administration and competence.
“Tourism is our savior. But with crises like the visa issue, what message did we send to the world?” questioned Hussain. “These aren’t accidents. If these cannot be controlled, it raises serious questions about the government’s management capability. These failures could become a negative turning point for the administration.”
Brain Drain: A Nation at Risk
Hussain expressed deep concern over the exodus of professionals, describing the “Brain Drain” as an existential threat to the nation’s future.
“Our best brains are leaving the country. Doctors, engineers, young professionals—they are all going. What is the government’s plan to stop this? If we don’t stem this tide, Sri Lanka risks becoming a nursing home with no one left to lead in a few years.”
Geopolitics and the Need for a ‘Backbone’
On the international front, the discussion navigated the complexities of Donald Trump’s uncertain policies and the geopolitical tug-of-war between India and China. Hussain’s stance was clear: Sri Lanka needs to shed its dependency.
“Trump’s policies are uncertain. India and China work on their own agendas. How long are we going to go door-to-door begging for loans?” she asked. “We need a leader with a backbone. A foreign policy that says, ‘We don’t want loans, we will build our own destiny.’ We need that strength.”
Conclusion
The interview leaves viewers with a looming question: Does President AKD have the capacity to defeat the system he vowed to change? As Hussain points out, the battle is not in the Parliament, but in the corridors of the ministries where the ‘Deep State’ operates. Winning this war will require more than just political will; it will require the courage to make unpopular decisions for the long-term benefit of the nation.