• To request EU to formally link same to GSP+

The Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Party is planning to approach the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) over the Government's failure to address the issues of the Malaiyaha community.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, the TPA Leader and Opposition Parliamentarian Mano Ganesan said that since repeated attempts to resolve the problems of the Malaiyaha community have not been addressed, the Party is seeking international mediation to have their rights addressed. He stated that the matter has already been discussed with both the United Nations Development Programme and the French Ambassador, with plans to meet the British High Commissioner on the issue soon, and to approach the HRCSL. He added that he intends to request the European Union (EU) to formally link Sri Lanka's access to the European Union (EU) Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade concession to concrete steps addressing the rights of its marginalised communities.

"The President declared that lands and houses will be given to those who were affected by Ditwah. The lands of the estates belong to the Government and it has the capacity to give the Malaiyaha community - which has been marginalised for years - the opportunity to have a land this time. Yet, the Government has not taken any action. The Secretary of the Plantation and Community Infrastructure Ministry and the Commissioner-General of Essential Services, Prabath Chandrakeerthi stated that building the houses for the Malaiyaha Tamils will be done by India. The letter I sent to the President on 14 December of last year (2025) requesting to address the issues of the Malaiyaha community which has been impacted by cyclone Ditwah is not acknowledged to date," he further added.

When contacted, Chandrakeerthi denied making such a statement as claimed by Ganesan. "The Government is providing compensation of Rs. five million for fully damaged houses in the plantation sector," he added.