A meeting was held in the Matara District under NPC’s Sustainable Peace through Pluralism and Inclusive Service Delivery project funded by Freedom House where a video documentary, which captured the challenges faced by the Malaiyaha community due to a lack of inclusion, was screened. The meeting was coordinated by Mr. Amarasena Samarathunga from Matara and facilitated by Sabaragamuwa University Senior lecturer Mr. Ravindra Palliyaguru.
The audience comprised 80 stakeholders including government officials, civil society leaders, media representatives, estate leaders, trade union representatives, youth leaders and estate workers. The meeting fostered a dialogue between the Malaiyaha community and stakeholders, providing a platform for community members to directly address their concerns and questions to government officials.
"Throughout my service period, I have had the privilege of working closely with the Malaiyaha community. This experience has been rewarding, allowing me to engage with a group that has been historically marginalised for over two centuries. The challenges they face are deeply rooted in a history of neglect and exclusion and addressing these challenges requires collective responsibility from all of us as citizens, government officials and society at large," said Ganesha Amarasinghe, District Secretary, Matara District.
Mr. Amarasinghe acknowledged the systemic marginalisation of the Malaiyaha community, highlighting its substantial contributions to the economy and society, which have often been overlooked.
He stressed the importance of dialogue and actions to mitigate the disparities, pointing out that particularly in regions such as Deniyaya and Pitabeddara, there was a significant population of the Malaiyaha community who continued to face numerous challenges, remaining on the fringes with limited access to essential services and opportunities for advancement.
"The Malaiyaha community must become more proactive in advocating for their rights. While external support is valuable, true empowerment comes from within," he said, encouraging the community to harness their voices to bring about meaningful change.
"This was the first time I had the opportunity to sit together with marginalised people and engage in discussions about their challenges. Through this programme, I gained a deeper understanding of just how marginalised and disadvantaged this community truly is," said Additional District Secretary of Matara District, Ms. Kanchana Thelpawila.
She suggested facilitating discussions involving estate superintendents and government officials to address the challenges faced by the Malaiyaha community.
"This meeting gave us a chance to talk, which is really valuable to us. Most of the time, we do not get an opportunity to speak to officials about our problems," an estate worker said. "It is also important for us to know that high level government officials are sensitive to our needs.”
The worker's feedback highlights the need for continued dialogue, transparency and action to uplift marginalised communities.