News
Curfew breaks, and people quickly forget the rules
As curfew lifts at 6am in Mirissa and Weligama the rush is on for the supermarkets, banks and pharmacies, where long lines form – but here in the countryside fresh fruit and vegetables are easily found, unlike in the cities.
On Monday, March 30, crowds in these coastal towns headed off for the shops fearing that the curfew might not be lifted again for a long while. Residents struggled to get as many supplies as they could carry home.
Long lines formed in front of the People’s Bank in Weligama town and Food City. Medical supplies are low, causing long queues to form at all the pharmacies in the area, making life difficult for people who are unwell and in desperate need of medication.
Unlike in Colombo, rural life, with fewer crowds, makes accessibility to food easier. There are many small shops selling rice, coconut oil and other essentials on Monday, some with virtually no queues.
Roadside stalls were full of different greens, fish and other produce, attracting crowds of people. The city centre was alive with traffic and shoppers, with many people wearing masks.
Long queues as soon as the curfew was lifted on Thursday
On Thursday, when the curfew lifted again, there were far fewer people in town, and much shorter queues at supermarkets, banks and pharmacies. The curfew will lift again tomorrow, after four days of confinement.
While many were out and about to get essential food and medicine on Thursday, others took the opportunity for leisurely pleasure in the outdoors after being cooped up at home, “hanging out” with friends at a bridge and congregating again despite the government’s call for maintaining a safe distance from others. Some tourists went out surfing.
It is the propensity for behaviour such as this that have caused populous regions such as Colombo keep curfew breaks to a minimum; it might also be why curfew is extending for longer periods in the countryside.
