Saturday Mar 21, 2026
Saturday Mar 21, 2026
Saturday, 21 March 2026 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
A civil society coalition has called on the Government to implement a comprehensive and time-bound recovery framework for Malaiyaha Tamil families affected by Cyclone Ditwah, citing prolonged displacement, policy ambiguity, and slow progress in plantation areas.
In a statement addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Civil Society Collective for Malaiyaha Reconstruction said that months after the disaster, many affected families continue to live in temporary shelters, schools, and unsafe structures, with limited clarity on permanent resettlement or compensation.
The group noted that while rehabilitation efforts have progressed in other parts of the country, plantation regions remain “extremely sluggish,” with families facing difficulties in accessing relief and navigating unclear institutional responsibilities between the Government and plantation companies.
Among its key proposals, the coalition called for Rs. 5 million in compensation for fully destroyed homes and up to Rs. 2.5 million for partially damaged houses. It also urged the allocation of up to 5 million perches of land for resettlement in line with existing circulars, alongside equal access to compensation for plantation communities without discrimination.
The statement emphasised that resettlement must prioritise individual housing with formal land ownership within plantation areas, rejecting apartment-style projects. It also called for immediate amendments to lease agreements with plantation companies to facilitate land ownership and the creation of new villages with essential infrastructure including roads, electricity, water, and social services.
The coalition further stressed that transitional shelters meeting international humanitarian standards must be provided until permanent housing solutions are secured, and that relief efforts must account for broader livelihood losses across agriculture, livestock, and employment.
It also urged the Government to ensure that relief distribution is channelled through public institutions rather than private entities, and that all official communication with affected communities be conducted in Tamil.
Highlighting governance gaps, the group called for the establishment of formal grievance redress mechanisms at divisional, district, and national levels, and warned that short-term relief measures should not undermine long-term land and housing rights of the Malaiyaha Tamil community.
The statement also pressed for the Government to take full responsibility for rebuilding estate infrastructure damaged by the cyclone, including roads, bridges, and community facilities, while issuing clear guidance to local authorities to undertake such work without administrative barriers.
Calling for high-level political intervention, the coalition said the involvement of both the President and Prime Minister is necessary to resolve policy gaps and accelerate recovery efforts.
It also urged political parties, civil society groups, and trade unions, including those representing plantation workers, to support a unified approach to ensure a “dignified and speedy recovery” for affected families.
