• Focus on relief and infrastructure facilities 
• TPA briefs Prez on qualified teachers recruitment

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has informed that a Cabinet paper is to be submitted in the near future on relief measures and infrastructure facilities for the Malaiyaha people, the Civil Society Collective for Malaiyaha Reconstruction claimed.

A special meeting between the Prime Minister and representatives of island-wide civil society organisations (CSOs) working with people affected by Cyclone Ditwah was held on 28 March at Temple Trees. During the meeting, several matters, including ongoing reconstruction efforts and alternative measures for those affected by Ditwah, were discussed in detail. The Collective presented the key issues affecting the Malaiyaha people, which included housing and land rights, transitional shelters and basic facilities in camps, livelihoods, infrastructure, as well as alleged irregularities and discrimination in the provision of relief. 

The Collective also highlighted the lack of implementation of the Tamil language in administrative processes, reiterated their rejection of multi-storey housing schemes, and stressed that affected Malaiyaha families must be provided with housing and land valued at no less than Rs. five million. Representatives of the CSOs further emphasised that multi-storey housing is unsuitable for the Malaiyaha region due to its unique geographical and social context.

These demands were presented to the Prime Minister, the Commissioner General of Essential Services, Prabath Chandrakeerthi, and the Secretaries of the relevant Ministries. Chandrakeerthi further stated that, in line with provisions extended to other affected populations, those impacted by Ditwah in plantation areas would also be provided with housing and land valued at no less than Rs. five million.

A group of Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) members, including its Leader and Opposition Parliamentarian Mano Ganesan, met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (2) at the Presidential Secretariat. Extensive discussions were held on the issues faced by the Malaiyaha community, particularly in relation to education, housing, and land, as well as on the urgent measures required to address these longstanding concerns. The President paid special attention to these matters during the meeting. 

Attention was also drawn to the recruitment of qualified Tamil-medium teachers to address the prevailing teacher shortage in estate sector schools, and this issue too was discussed at length. Opposition Parliamentarians P. Digambaram and V. Radhakrishnan, along with several other party members, were also present at the meeting.

At the request of the TPA, the President has nominated a coordinating officer at the Presidential Secretariat level to address issues affecting the Malaiyaha community. Commissioner General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi has been appointed to this position by the President. The President has also approved a Rs. five million relief allocation for Malaiyaha community members who lost their homes during Cyclone Ditwah.