President to appoint Committee to uplift Tamils of hill country origin

President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said a committee will be appointed to seek how best to integrate the Tamils of Hill country Origin further into the Sri Lankan society.

He said further that although some of the Tamils of Hill country Origin had integrated successfully into the Sri Lankan society, some have failed and measures would be taken to assist them to do so. 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made these observations addressing at the occasion of accepting a consignment of medicines donated by the Pondicherry Union Territory and people of India on the request of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC).

The consignment of medicines was officially handed over to the President by CWC Secretary General and Parliamentarian Jeewan Thondaman in memory of the late Saumyamoorthi Thondaman who passed away 23 years ago on 30 October. The consignment of medicines was subsequently handed over to Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella.

The President said that he would ensure the development of schools in the plantation sector while the Ministry of Health would take over the hospitals in the plantation sector. He assured development in both these areas very soon. 

The Government is also encouraging building of houses and issuing lands to the people of Tamil origin in the Hill country because they must have their own lands and a place to live in just like other groups in the hill country, the President added. 

He said further, steps would be taken to review the plantation economy that could be affected by people leaving the plantation areas after being educated. As people are being educated, more and more are leaving the plantation sector. 

The Government has to find jobs for them as well as for other Sinhalese and Muslims who leave their areas to settle elsewhere. So, the Government has to look at the future of the groups that would continue to live in the plantation sector and on how to improve the plantation economy as they cannot be allowed to live on a subsistence level. 

He said further that these issues would be gradually resolved in the coming years as the Government resolves the whole ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. 

President also requested all leaders of the hill country Tamils to join in this endeavour to ensure that all benefits of Sri Lankan citizenship is enjoyed by the people in the hill country of Tamil origin.