• Procession in March to signify their import to SL by the British 200 years ago

Marking the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the hill-country Tamil community

of Indian origin in Sri Lanka in 1823, a procession is scheduled to be held from

Mannar to Matale from 15-26 March, as this was the route through which the

British colonists sent these people to their relevant destinations.

Speaking to The Morning, Organisation to Protect the Dignity of the Upcountry

Community Advisor priest of Christian faith M. Sakthivel said yesterday (5) that

the upcountry people were made to walk from Mannar to Matale upon their

arrival from India in 1823 to be deployed to coffee estates. From Matale, they

were sent to their relevant destinations, which were jungles where they had to

create their own settlements.

“They were not provided with any transport. People had to walk to any place that

they were directed to by the British. They arrived in a boat from India and reached

Mannar. This was a three-month journey,” he added.

Sakthivel noted that a commemoration will be held on 29 January in

remembrance of those who died in protests, urging for their right to salary

increments and other issues such as those who died in the Galaha estate in the

Kandy District while protesting for a salary increment on 15 September 1940.

“It was also reported that around 70,000 of them died from 1823-1841, during

their travel to various destinations within the country, while creating their own

settlements and due to health issues. Between 1841-1849, another 90,000 people

died. Some areas did not have roads and these people who arrived from India had

to walk through forests. In 1867, the British initiated tea cultivation, since coffee

cultivation was a failure”.

Sakthivel further said: “These commemoration events will make the entire

country understand the difficulties and challenges faced by the upcountry

community since their arrival from India.”

Meanwhile, the Tamil Progressive Alliance will hold a commemoration event in

February this year commemorating the upcountry community in which President

Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa are expected to

participate.