Below we publish the joint statement signed by Malaiyaha community, long-time activists, CSOs, Trade Unions and Movements and calling on the GoSL to deliver on their promises to the Malaiyaha community and address their grievances, especially post Ditwah.
30 March 2026.
Many months after the catastrophe, the affected Hill Country Tamil families are still languishing in a desperate state, continuing to endure immense hardship. While relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction efforts toward normalcy are progressing in other parts of the country, these activities remain extremely sluggish in the affected plantation areas.
Hundreds of families continue to languish without a permanent solution, living in schools, temporary camps, tents, and dilapidated plantation buildings. Many have been sent back to houses that they say remain unsafe for habitation. There is still a lack of clarity regarding the release of land for resettlement. The Malaiyaha people, who lack formal land ownership, face immense difficulties in accessing the relief and compensation announced by the government. As a result, many have received nothing. A stalemate persists over whether the responsibility for repairing the damages in the Estate areas lies with the private companies or the government. The key reasons for the current suffering of families are this government’s lack of policy clarity and its sluggish execution.
Therefore, considering the massive impact of Cyclone Ditwah on the Hill Country Tamil community, and against the backdrop of affected plantation families being shunted from place to place causing deep distress, we present the following demands to the government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake:
- Malaiyaha families whose homes were fully destroyed or require resettlement, Rs 5 million must be provided. For partially damaged houses, up to Rs 2.5 million should be paid. Additionally, if there is a need to buy land, up to 5 million should be allocated (in accordance with Circular NDRSC/02/04/10).
- Relief and compensation for housing and other losses must be provided to eligible Hill Country people on par with other citizens of the country, without any discrimination. No distinction should be made between workers and non-workers in the plantations when providing disaster relief and undertaking reconstruction efforts.
- To ensure the Malaiyaha people’s connection to the land of this country, individual houses with formal land deeds must be provided within the plantation areas. Apartment-style (multi-story) housing projects in the plantation areas should be rejected.
- The Indian Housing Project must not be diverted or used as relief for the Ditwah disaster. It must remain a separate, distinct project and be implemented in an expedited manner as originally planned.
- The Ditwah housing projects must rebuild estate human settlements as integrated villages equipped with proper roads, formal addresses, electricity, drinking water, social infrastructure, and other essential amenities. This process must facilitate the abolition of the “Plantation System” and transform them into ‘new villages’.
- To ensure land ownership and the creation of ‘new villages’, the lease agreements with Plantation Companies must be amended immediately.
- People currently suffering in temporary camps, tents, and other locations must be treated with dignity and respect, rather than being shuttled around. Crucially, decisions regarding the identification of land for their new homes must be made in consultation with the affected families.
- The right to land ownership must be granted equally to women.
- Until a permanent housing solution with land ownership is achieved, Transitional Shelters must be provided immediately in suitable locations. These shelters must be equipped with basic facilities and adhere to international humanitarian standards (SPHERE Standards).
- When providing government relief and compensation for Malaiyaha Tamil families—covering agriculture, livestock, enterprise, and livelihood related damages—the state must adopt an equitable approach that goes beyond mere formal equality to address their specific vulnerabilities.
- Similar to all other citizens of Sri Lanka, relief and services for the plantation community must be channeled through Divisional Secretariats, Provincial Councils, and Pradeshiya Sabhas. These should not be delegated to private companies or the Plantation Human Development Trust (PHDT).
- The language rights of Hill Country Tamils must be respected. All application forms, official notices, and communications must be provided in Tamil. It must be ensured that government offices communicate with these families in their language.
- If there are difficulties or grievances in receiving relief and compensation, formal Grievance Redressal Mechanisms must be established at the Divisional, District, and National levels to provide timely solutions.
- Any short-term disaster relief measures should not contradict or compromise the long-term demands or struggle of the Hill Country Tamil people for land and housing rights.
- The government must take full responsibility for repairing and reconstructing community infrastructure in Estates damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, including bridges, roads, stairways, retaining walls, and community buildings. The government must provide clear instructions to Pradeshiya Sabhas regarding the legal provisions that allow these local government bodies to allocate funds and undertake infrastructure repair and development within Estates. Any ambiguity preventing local authorities from intervening in these areas must be clarified.
We believe that the direct intervention of the President and the Prime Minister is essential to clear the policy gaps and to issue the necessary administrative orders, and expedite the relief and reconstruction efforts in the Malaiyaha regions. We urgently request the President and the Prime Minister to grant us an immediate opportunity for a discussion to address these critical issues and move towards solutions.
On behalf of the Malaiyaha people suffering from the impact of Cyclone Ditwah, we seek the support of all political parties, civil society activists, and academics to rectify the current lack of progress. In particular, we trust that the parliamentary representatives of Malaiyaha people—including members of the National People’s Power (NPP), the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), and the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC)—will endorse these demands and exert pressure on the decision-makers within the government. We extend an open invitation to all of them to work together in unity to achieve a dignified and speedy recovery of suffering families.
Signatories;
Organisations and Movements
- Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research
- All Ceylon Fisheries and Workers Alliance
- Ampara District Alliance for Land Rights (ADALR)
- Arising Sun Community Development Organisation, Nuwera Eliya
- Best Vision Foundation
- Center For Social Concern (SDC)
- Centre for Equality and Justice (CEJ)
- Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV)
- Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA)
- Chelvanayakam Memorial Trust (CMT)
- Civil Society Collective for Malaiyaha Reconstruction
- Collective for Historical Dialogue & Memory
- Colombo Urban Lab
- Dabindu Collective
- Equal Rights Movement
- Families of the Disappeared (FoD)
- Human Elevation Organisation (HEO)
- Institute for People Engagement and Networking (iPEN)
- Institute of Social Development (ISD)
- International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES)
- Islamic Women’s Association for Research and Empowerment (IWARE)
- Jaffna Social Action Center (JSAC)
- Law and Society Trust (LST)
- Marumalarchi Women’s Society
- Movement for Defense of Democratic Rights (MDDR)
- Movement for Plantation People’s Land Rights (MPPLR)
- Muslim Women’s Development Trust (MWDT)
- National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO)
- National Peace Council (NPC)
- Organization of People for Engagement and Enterprise (OPEnE)
- People’s Movement for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Malaiyaha Thamil People
- People’s Alliance for Right to Land (PARL)
- Revolutionary Existence for Human Development (RED)
- Rural Development Planning Organization (RDPO)
- Shramaabimani Kendraya
- Sinhala Tamil Rural Women’s Network, Nuwaraeliya
- Social Institute for Development of Plantation Sector (SIDPS)
- Stand Up Movement Lanka
- Suriya Women’s Development Centre
- SWEAT Hatton
- Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF)
- Tea Leaf Vision, Sri Lanka
- The Social Architects (TSA)
- Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL)
- Upcountry Civil Society Collective (UCSC)
- Up-Country Social Research Centre
- Uva Shakthi Foundation
- Voice of Plantation People (VOPP)
- Voluntary Organization for Vulnerable Community Development (VOVCOD)
- WE IMPACTA
Trade Unions
- Amila Sandaruwan – Joint Teachers Service Union
- Anton Marcus, General Secretary – Free Trade Zone and General Services
Employees Union - G.N.U.K. Jayarathna – Joint Railway Employees Union
- Dammika Munasinghe – Joint Development Officers Centre
- Devinda Kodagoda – Private Workers Centre
- Duminda Nagamuwa – Workers Struggle Centre
- V.D Tilakasiri – Free Trade Union Development Centre
- Joseph Stalin, General Secretary – Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU)
- N.P. Fernando – Joint Nursing Service Union
- Marx Prabagar – Plantation Workers Centre
- Swasthika Arulingam, President – United Federation of Labour (UFL)
- Tempitiye Sugathananda himi – Joint Health Workers’ Union
- B. Jayasekara – Joint Water Supply Workers Union
Individuals
- Arulanandham
- Arul – Drama Artist
- C. Jhone
- Gajendran
- Jesudasan
- L. Varia
- M.N. Victor
- Ragunathan – Activist
- Rahman
- Ranjith Kumar
- Selvaraj – Lawyer, Hatton
- Shanmugavadioo
- Sornalingam
- Ainash Chanchal
- Aingkaran Kugathasan
- Ajitha A
- Aloka Weerasekara
- Amalini De Sayrah
- Amila Udagadara
- Ananda Galappatti
- Aneesa Firthous
- Anu Piyasena
- Anuratha Rajaretnm, Batticaloa
- Anushani Alagarajah
- Anushaya Collure
- Arjuna Parakrama
- Arul Karki – Visiting Academic (OUSL)
- Ashila Dandeniya
- Atarah Senn
- Gowthaman
- Nivetha – Nawalapitiya
- Rajendran – Farmer
- Shiromiya – Undergraduate
- Vasanthagowry
- Balasingham Skanthakumar
- Baskaran Sudha
- Bhavani Fonseka
- Binnu Selvarajah
- Boscoraj – Civil Society Activist
- Devika – Teacher, Highforest No 03
- I.S. Perera
- Carmel Shangeetha
- Chamika Wijesuriya – Civil Society Actor
- Chanaka Karunarathne
- Chandanie Watawala
- Chandra Devanarayana
- Channaka Jayasinghe
- Charles Ravi – Retired Principal Social Activist
- Chathura Jayawardane
- Chathuri Jayawardena
- Chathurika Sewwandi
- Chulani Kodikara
- A. Wanaththiya
- Damith Kulasekara
- Dehara Weligodapola
- Denver Mark
- Deyhan Kamalgoda
- Dhammika de Silva
- Dhanaraj Gajendrankumar – Asst Director (exam), SLIDA
- Dilrukshi Handunnetti
- C.S. Jamunanath
- Jehan Perera
- Joe William
- M.M. Jayaseelan – Senior Lecturer, University of Peradeniya
- Mahendran Thiruvarangan – University of Jaffna
- Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
- Ramesh Ramasamy – Senior Lecturer, University of Peradeniya
- Tanuja Thurairajah
- Vinya Aiyaratne
- Eimackshan Emmanuel
- Ermiza Tegal – Attorney-at-Law
- Faheema Beham
- Gajenthini Umadevan
- Gowri Palaniappan
- Hasini Abeysinghe
- Hemalatha K
- Hemamali Wijesinghe
- Herman Kumara
- Hussain Shamil
- Vimal – Teacher
- Imran Rajabdeen
- Indrani Kusumalatha
- Irasaiya Umadevan
- Iresha M. Yapa
- Iromi Perera
- Sujatha
- Thayalini
- Vijayaparani – Batticaloa
- Jeevarathnam Suresh
- Jehan Perera
- Jithmi Athukorale
- Jothiraja Karunendra – Batticaloa
- Juwairiya Mohideen
- Anbarasan – Teacher
- H. Lavina Hasanthi
- Harshini
- J. Brito Fernando
- Malarveeli
- Nihal Ahamed
- P. Chaminda Piyasekera
- Pathmanathan
- Prithiya – Batticaloa
- Pushparaj – Retired Factory Officer
- Sarankan
- Saththiyaseelan – Activist & Artist
- Shanthi – Teacher
- Sivatharshini – Teacher
- Suresh Kumar
- Yogasuji
- Yogeshnadhan
- Kalani Subasinghe
- Kalavathi Kalaimagal – Batticaloa
- Kamalambikai Ammal Jothiraja – Batticaloa
- Kanapathipillai Paramanandam – Batticaloa
- Karuppaiya Saththiyaseelan – Jaffna (Drama Artist Semugam Performing Group )
- Kaushalya Chamarasinghe
- Kopalapillai Mathiskumar
- Kumuduni Samuel
- Kusal Perera
- F.F. Paulraj
- Lalith Abeysinghe – NLTI
- Lionel Peiris
- Loordu Mary – Principal
- Lucille Abeykoon
- Diaskumar – Principal, Arunodhaya TV, Rillamulla
- Divagarani
- F. Aarifa – Haputale
- M. Rani Singarajah
- Manochithra
- Nahomi
- Nirmala
- Nishanth – IT Consultant
- Sathiyamoorthi – Farmer
- Shanmugaraja – Businessman
- Thamilmaran – Teacher, Highforest No 01 TV, Kandapola
- Maheshi Herat
- Malinga Prasad
- Manimaran Chandrasekaran – Translator
- Mario Gomez
- Marisa de Silva
- Melani Gunathilaka
- Melani Manel Perera
- Michael Joachim
- Mithara Perera
- Mohamed Meeren
- Monica Alfred
- Muthukumar Mathavan
- Nadarajah Sukirtharaj
- Nadesan Suresh
- Nadim Majeed
- Nadishani Perera
- Nagulan Nesiah
- Nalinda Senaviratne
- Nandhini Shankerdass – Social Worker
- Narayanapillai Kugatharsini – Batticaloa
- Narayanapillai Nilakshana – Batticaloa
- Natasha Van Hoff
- Navarathna Banda
- Nehama Jayawardena
- Nimalka Fernando
- Nirmalavasan – Batticaloa
- Nirmin Saroon – Social Activist
- Niroshinidevi Mahendran – Batticaloa
- Nishani Liyanage
- Niyanthini Kadirgamar
- Arumugam
- Balanbika
- D. Gunatilake
- K. Chamila Thushari
- Mahendraprasath – Principal
- Mathan – Translator
- Munisvaran
- Muthulingam
- N. Singham
- Prabakaran – Organiser
- Suvajini
- Pakkiyarasa Kishani – Kalmunai
- Pasan Jayasinghe
- Pathujan Srinagaruban
- Philip Dissanayake
- Philip Ramiah – Retired Principal
- Prabakaraan Ponnusamy
- Prabath Hemintha
- Pramodya Galagoda
- Prasad Gamge
- Premila N
- Priscilla George – Batticaloa
- Priyadharshini Paulraj
- Priya Kitnasamy
- M.S.M Mookiah
- Sivamohan Sumathy
- T. Jayasingam
- Pusparaj Kaneshan – Hatton
- Puvanesasingham Janahan – Batticaloa
- Abilojan
- C. Pradeep Kumar
- Dhanaraj
- Kounthini
- Ragavan
- Shanmugadeepa
- Sulaxshana – Bandarawela
- Raga Alphonsus
- Rajany Rajeswary
- Rajendram Revathi – Batticaloa
- Ramesh Annath
- Rasika Seneviratne
- Rengasamy Mohan – Retired Principal
- Fr. I.D. Dixon
- Fr. Jeevantha Peiris
- Fr. Jeyabalan Croos
- Fr. Michael Rajendram
- Fr. Ravichandran
- S.P.D Selvan
- S Balasundaram
- Sr. Deepa Fernando
- Rohini Hensman – Writer and Independent Scholar
- Ruki Fernando
- Balaramesh – Businessman
- Baskaran – Community Leader
- C.C Elankovan
- Ganeshalingam
- H.K Thangadurai
- Jeyasankar – Batticaloa
- Kamalraj – Principal
- Kuvenitha
- Mangaiyarkarasie – Principal, Highforest No 01 TV, Kandapola
- Mariyarosari
- Nivanthini
- Prabaharan
- Puwanakanthi – Retired Welfare Officer
- Rajasegar
- Rajendran – Farmer
- Rajinikanth
- Ramkumar – Gem Merchant
- Ravichandrika – Retired Teacher
- Selvakumar – Principal, Mahauva TV
- Shahiradhan – Hotel Employee
- Shanger – Businessman
- Shanmugapriyan – Office Clerk
- Shanmugaraja – Farmer
- Shanmugavadivel – Civil Society Activist
- Srikanth – Social Activist
- Subashini – Teacher
- Suganthini
- Sumithra
- Sunthareswaran
- Thileepan
- Vadivalagie – Civil Society Activist, Senior Lecturer, Eastern University of Sri
Lanka - Vasanthakumar – Social Activist
- Vijayasundaram – Assistant Factory Officer
- Visvalingam
- Sabra Zahid – Attorney-at-Law
- Sachitha N. Hewange
- Sadique Salih
- Sakuna Gamage
- Sakuntala Kadirgamar
- Saman Seneviratne
- Sandun Thudugala
- Sanjula Pieterz
- Sarathadevi Paramanandam – Batticaloa
- Saroj Pathirana – Journalist
- Satchithanantham Sasirekha – Batticaloa
- Selvarasa Thileepan – Jaffna Social Activist
- Shantha D. Pathirana
- Sheila Richards
- Shenali Perera
- Shideshka Fernado
- Shyamala Gomez
- Sihina Thenuwara
- Sindhu Sha – Kattankudy
- Sithumi Manikkarathna
- S Kaladevi – Retired Vice Principal
- Soba Koliyawanshe
- Soosai Sandanam
- Srinath Perera
- Subathra Yogasingham
- Sugath Rajapakshe
- Sujica Janahan – Batticaloa
- Suresh Jayawardhana – Project Director
- Kalaivani
- Nesaraj – Translator
- Nirmala
- Sivanesan – Drama Artist
- Susikumar – Salesperson
- Thamilselvi Thayaharan
- Tharaka Hettiarachchi
- Tharmalingam Ganesh
- Tharushi Ishara Fernando – Attorney-at-Law
- Thilak Kariyawasam
- Thilisha Deshani
- Thisa Thiruchelvam – Civil Activist
- Thivya Kandiah
- Thushari Madahapola
- Uthayarasa Thinojan
- Ajith
- Anthony
- Janani – Bandarawela
- Jhoji
- Kanapathipillai
- Raveendran
- Shamini
- S Seelan
- Weerasingham
- Vasanthakumary Selvanayagam – Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and
Culture, Eastern University - Vasuki Jeyasankar – Batticaloa
- Velayutham Rutheedeepa
- Visaka Dharmadasa
- Wijeyaledchumi Joseph