UK urged to support Malaiyaha rights
UK Must Honor Its Moral Responsibility Toward Malaiyaha Tamils in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO: Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader Mano Ganesan, MP, has called upon the United Kingdom to fulfill its “historic and moral responsibility” toward the Malaiyaha Tamil community of Indian origin.
During a high-level meeting at Westminster House with British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, HE Andrew Patrick, Ganesan emphasized the need for UK leadership in ensuring justice, equality, and full citizenship for a community originally brought to Sri Lanka to sustain British commercial interests.
Ganesan briefed the High Commissioner on the “structural segregation” currently facing descendants of Indian Tamil indentured labor.
He specifically highlighted the exclusion of plantation residents in **Kandy, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, Matale, and Kegalle** from the national LKR 5 million housing reconstruction scheme, noting they are instead being redirected to separate Indian-assisted programs.
“I state with full responsibility that this amounts to a form of structural segregation reminiscent of apartheid-style injustice,” Ganesan stated.
He rejected government plans for multi-storey housing that bypasses land ownership, asserting, “We will not accept any programme that denies land rights to our people… Justice demands secure land, dignity, and equality.”
The TPA Leader also expressed concern about the lack of engagement from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, noting that a request for a meeting to discuss these urgent issues has gone unanswered.
In addition to the Malaiyaha community, Ganesan raised several unresolved concerns regarding Tamils in the Northern and Eastern provinces, noting that key government commitments remain unfulfilled:
• Provincial Council Elections: Administration continues under appointed Governors rather than elected representatives.
• Legal Reform: The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has not been repealed; instead, a replacement law is being introduced.
• Land and Prisoners: The release of lands has stalled, and long-term political prisoners remain in custody despite repeated assurances.
• Constitutional Progress: Discussions on a new constitution have been suspended without advancement.
The meeting was also attended by Barath Arullsamy, TPA Politburo member and Vice President of International Affairs of the Democratic People’s Front, who joined the call for equitable land rights and inclusive recovery.
Ganesan urged the UK to mobilize international partners to support a durable political solution that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people and integrates the Malaiyaha community into the national mainstream.