The 77th Independence Day at the Independence Square was celebrated with simplicity reflecting the real Sri Lankan identity on Tuesday February 4. Instead of highlighting the country’s pride and its identity in the past by previous leaders who were behaving in a manner like the Royal family members with mega military parade and with extensive expenditures made for decorations in a big scale, President Anurakumara Dissnayake’s NPP Government had celebrated the Independence Day with simplicity.
A foreign news agency reported that debt-stricken Sri Lanka marked its 77th independence anniversary on February 4 with a military parade, while the country’s newly elected president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake pledged to heal Sri Lanka’s economic woes by the end of his five-year term. Sri Lanka, which gained independence from Britain in 1948, suffered its worst economic crisis in 2022, forcing the island nation to declare bankruptcy. It also suspended repayments on some $83 billion in domestic and foreign loans amid a foreign exchange crisis that led to a severe shortage of food, medicine, fuel and cooking gas, and lengthy power cuts.
The economic crisis caused political upheaval and finally paved the way for National People’s Power (NPP) to form the government four months ago. On Tuesday at the Independence Day celebration, President Dissanayake said he would improve the living standards of all Sri Lankans during his tenure, giving them opportunities to enjoy modern scientific and technological innovations. Sri Lanka’s 77th Independence Day in 2025 celebrated at Independence Square, Colombo, with the participation of 1,600 guests, according to Chandana Abayarathne, Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils, and Local Government.
The ceremony on 4 th February 2025 was conducted in a simple and elegant manner, with an emphasis on reducing costs while preserving the dignity and honor of Sri Lanka. Previous Governments of President Mahinda Rajapakse and his brother Gottabaya Rajapakse had conducted the Independence Day celebrations from the time the civil strife came to an end to show the military strength of the country. The military machineries purchased when the North and East war was in progress were displayed at the Independence Day celebrations with a participation of tri forces personnel in a mega scale. Fighter aircrafts, helicopters, war ships, battle tanks and various other military weapons were used extensively in the parade in the past. However this year’s 77th Independence Day celebration was conducted in a manner without giving room for pomp and pageantry.
There were instances some military personnel participating at the Independence Day parade had fainted and fallen due to standing in the parade for several hours in the past. The former Presidents also made lengthy speeches taking more time testing the patience of the guests who had attended the Independence Day ceremony. However this year at the Independence Day ceremony several changes were made to ensure the celebrations were taking place with simplicity. Earlier when the former Presidents and the Prime Ministers arrived to the Independence Day celebration venue they were escorted by a large number of Army and Police out riders in motor cycles backed by Mounted Police men on horsebacks.
However only three Military Police out riders had escorted President Anurakumara Dissanayake to the Independence Square where the celebration was held. The tri service personnel took part in the parade were also not made to stay longer at the parade grounds. So the Independence Day celebration this year had remained up to the theme of the celebration `Let’s Rally for National Renaissance’. Apart from the main celebration of the Independence Day, celebrations were also held country wide in an enthusiastic manner with the participation of school children and Government officials. Even in Jaffna for the first time in several years Independence Day celebration was held with vehicle parades. Participants carried the National flag showing their solidarity with the motto of this year’s Independence Day celebration.
However a group of University of Jaffna students marked the 77th Independence Day celebration within the Jaffna University premises by bringing down the National flag and hoisting a black flag expressing their protest to the National Day. They chanted slogans that the people from the North and East still have to go a long way to celebrate their independence. They also held placards and banners within the Jaffna
University premises indicating their reasons to boycott the Independence Day celebration. They highlighted in their protest over the issues of Tamil political prisoners, disappeared persons as well as the excessive military presence and new settlements of Southerners in the North and East areas.
