• SL’s indigenous first people seek State/Govt. support for the political representation of their community at the nat’l-level 
• The Nat’l List has been proposed by them, with backing from the HRCSL/EC, as the efficient solution to make the representation a reality 

On a warm afternoon in Dambana, a member of the Sri Lankan Indigenous Veddah community, Dorana Aththo sits on a wooden bench outside his home, watching a group of children chase each other through the dust. Nearby, an elder from the village leans on a walking stick, looking toward the thinning forest line. “This land raised us. But now, we’re just living in it. We aren't part of the decisions that shape it,” he says to himself.

The Veddahs

For generations, the Veddahs – historically believed to be Sri Lanka’s first people – have lived in and with these forests. They have survived centuries of change. But, there is one thing that they have never had: a seat in the country's Legislature, the Parliament. Not once in the island’s modern political history has a Veddah person represented their community at the national level.

The Veddahs, also spelled Veddas (which means ‘forest people’), are considered the indigenous people of Sri Lanka. They have lived on the island for thousands of years, long before modern civilisation took root. Traditionally, the Veddahs were forest-dwellers who lived by hunting, gathering bees’ honey, and small-scale farming. They had a deep connection to nature and believed in living in harmony with their surroundings. Most Veddah communities were originally based in the eastern and central parts of the country – especially in areas like Dambana, Maha Oya, Bintenna, and Vakarai. Today, Dambana in the Badulla District remains one of the main settlements where the remaining Veddah families live and preserve parts of their traditional lifestyle. The Veddahs have their own unique language, which is now nearly extinct, and many of them speak Sinhala today. Although they have adopted some modern practices, especially for survival and integration, many still try to uphold their customs, rituals, and values including traditional hunting, herbal medicine, and spiritual beliefs tied to ancestors and the forest.

The struggles of a community

The Veddahs face several serious challenges that threaten their way of life. One of the biggest issues is the loss of their ancestral lands due to development projects, deforestation, and wildlife conservation zones that restrict their movement and traditional practices like hunting and gathering. Many have been forced to move into villages and take up farming or casual labour, which has disconnected them from their cultural roots. Access to basic services like education, healthcare, and proper housing is still limited in many Veddah settlements. 

Over the years, their language, customs, and identity have slowly faded as younger generations grow up under pressure to assimilate into mainstream society. Despite being the country’s first inhabitants, they are rarely included in national policies, development plans, or political discussions.

Symbolic inclusion, real exclusion

National-level decision-makers such as politicians and public officials do occasionally visit Veddah settlements: Photos are taken, speeches are made, and traditional dances are performed for the cameras. But, it stops there, amounting to little more than cultural tokenism. The Veddah Chieftain Uruwarige Wannila Aththo is also invited to national events and advisory meetings, but these appearances are mostly symbolic. He holds no formal office and has no proper mandate. However, there have been renewed calls for change. From time to time, there have been proposals to include the Veddah community in national-level politics, but they have never gained real political traction. Proposals tend to disappear after a few headlines, pushed aside by louder, more populist debates.

What the leader says

In a conversation with The Daily Morning on the lack of inclusion in the national decision-making process, Wannila Aththo said that the Government should take some serious steps to give their community a voice in the Parliament. Even though there are ministries to protect religions and different cultures, he charged that their issues are ignored. “Almost every country has a system in place to protect each ethnic group. But, they talk only about Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher communities in our country. Even though we have been living here for more than 48,000 years, no one talks about us," Wannila Aththo pointed out.

Although there are about 500,000 Veddahs, including those who have blended into the Sinhala society, he said that they have not had anyone speaking for them in the Parliament, ever. "We are like elephants going in a perahera (procession). We’re invited to events and functions, made to perform and put on a show. They say that it is protecting our identity, but it isn't. Having us represented in the Legislature will make a positive impact on our community.”

He also pointed out that no one from the community has been able to rise to that level on their own because there has not been any proper support. “There’s no programme, guidance, or pathway to bring someone from our people to that stage. It’s not that we don’t have the ability. Our people can do it. But, there needs to be a system to help them come forward." As a start, he said that the Government could consider granting an opportunity to a member of their community through a system like the National List. “It doesn’t take much to utilise it and give someone from our community an opportunity. There should be a genuine interest. The talk has been there before, but, nothing came out of it.”

Voices from within

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Dorana Aththo said that they are not seen or heard by those in power. "Most of our children have to travel far to get a proper education. Some of our elders don’t have access to good healthcare. Importantly, the younger generation is being pulled into a lifestyle that’s not ours, because there's no support to protect our identity. Alcohol and drugs are becoming a problem too. No one listens when we talk about these issues." He added that, at 55 years of age, he had never personally met a parliamentarian or spoken to a mainstream politician. “If someone from our own community becomes an MP, I’d fully support it. At least then we’d have someone who understands our struggles and speaks our language. It wouldn’t fix all our problems right away, but, it will be a positive start. We'll be able to talk about our issues in our own words, and not be filtered through someone else."

The HRCSL's stand

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) is also of the view that communities like the Veddahs should be given a proper voice in places where important decisions are made, especially in the Parliament.

HRCSL Commissioner, attorney Nimal G. Punchihewa told The Daily Morning that although some groups, like those from the plantation sector, have managed to enter national-level politics and make their issues heard, the Veddah community has been left out completely. “There isn’t even one person from their side who has come into national-level politics. That’s not right. They should be given space to speak for themselves. Otherwise, other people may speak on their behalf, but, it won't address their issues properly."

He pointed out that in the early days of the country’s Parliament – back when the Senate was in operation – there was an effort to include different sections of the community. Because of that, he said that smaller groups had a way to take part and even shape laws. “The Veddahs have their own identity and way of life. Even in court, they’re allowed to carry their traditional axes, something that no one else would be allowed to do. That kind of respect exists in some places, but not in politics. They should be recognised both culturally and politically,” Punchihewa added.

When questioned as to whether there should be laws to make sure that they are represented in the Parliament, Punchihewa, who is also a former Election Commission (EC) Chairperson, said that doing so would not be practical. "There are laws regarding female and youth representation in politics. That makes sense because they make up a substantial part of the population. However, even though there are 1.7 million people with disabilities in Sri Lanka, they don’t have a set percentage. If we start setting legal quotas for every group, it may create unnecessary issues. One easy way to ensure their representation is the National List. It was introduced to make way for such groups."

The EC's role and limits

The EC, speaking about the Veddah community’s place in the country’s democratic process, said that the EC has done its part to ensure that they are included in the electoral system, and added that policy decisions pertaining to matters such as their representation in the Parliament should be made by the Parliament.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, EC Chairperson, R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that they have taken steps to inform the Veddah community about the country’s electoral process. “We’ve reached out to them. Our teams have gone to places like Dambana and explained how the system works. Most of them are now included in the electoral registry. They were also educated on how to get their names registered in the voter registry through online systems." However, he pointed out that when it comes to contesting elections, that is something that the community has to do on their own. “We can’t decide who runs for elections. That’s not our role. We can only make sure that they’re informed and included in the process." When queried as to whether a system of mandatory representation could help, he said that such decisions could only be made by the Parliament. “We’re not in a position to make those changes. Even when women’s representation was being made mandatory, we had to face many challenges. In this case, the National List would be a better option."

The political reality

Former Parliamentarian Tissa Attanayake, who has experience as a General Secretary of a leading political party, also shared his views on how difficult it can be to accommodate special representation without legal backing, making it a mandatory requirement: "There're legal provisions about women’s representation now, and political parties follow that. Without a clear legal requirement, it's very difficult to ensure representation for smaller groups." He also said that appointing a specific community member through the National List would be very challenging: “There are only a few seats on the National List, sometimes just three or four. So, deciding who gets those seats is not easy. There are always internal arguments and disagreements."

Examples from around the world

In several countries around the world, there are systems in place to make sure that Indigenous communities have a seat at the decision-making table. In New Zealand, for example, the Māori people have dedicated seats in the Parliament, a system that has been in place for over 150 years. In Norway, Sweden and Finland, the Sámi people are represented through Sámi Parliaments, which work alongside national governments to protect their rights and culture. Bolivia and Colombia also have mechanisms that allow indigenous groups to elect their own representatives to national legislatures.

A path forward

The Deputy Minister of National Integrity, Mohammad Muneer, when contacted by The Daily Morning, said that they support the idea of using the National List to appoint someone from the Veddah community, describing it as a progressive suggestion. "It’s a suggestion that we appreciate. In the current Parliament too, we have appointed a visually impaired MP through the National List. We're ready to discuss this matter also and do what's fair." He further said that some individuals from the Veddah community have been active in politics at the grassroots level. “They’ve worked with us on the ground, and through that, they’ll have the chance to come forward. If they continue that path, they can reach national-level politics. We’ll also look at ways to support that, including through the National List."

The bigger picture

Sri Lanka does not necessarily need to reinvent the wheel to make space for Indigenous representation. There is already a system in place, the National List, which could easily be used to appoint someone from the Veddah community. It just has not been done. If political parties genuinely believe in inclusive politics, they can start there. Beyond that, the country could consider setting up a formal mechanism like a dedicated advisory council or even a special seat for Indigenous voices to be heard in the Parliament. It does not have to be complicated. What is missing is the political will to recognise that the original people of this land deserve a say in its future.