Indian Origin Tamils in Sri Lanka’s Central Province
- Unlike
the Sri Lankan Tamils living largely in the North and Eastern Provinces of
the country, the Tamils in Sri Lanka’s Central Province — often referred
to as Hill country or Upcountry — have more recent links with India.
- In
the early 19th century the British, who had colonised Sri Lanka, brought
them from south India as workforce for the plantations, mostly tea.
- The
ethnic war in the northern parts of the country put the spotlight on
Tamils in and around Jaffna, Mullaitivu, and Kilinochchi.
- But
plantation Tamils — constituting about five per cent of Sri Lanka’s
population — get little attention.
- The
High Commission of India in Sri Lanka has been offering some assistance to
the community, but it is dwarfed by their basic needs in regard to
livelihood and living conditions.
- The
agreement — signed by former Sri Lankan Prime Minister Sirimavo
Bandaranaike and her Indian counterpart Lal Bahadur Shastri — sought to
repatriate over five lakh Tamils of Indian origin, and grant Sri Lankan
citizenship to about three lakh.
- The
remaining Tamils left in the central province gradually obtained
citizenship in the 1980s.
- On
the one hand they are citizens of Sri Lanka, at least going by the books.
On the other, with most basic facilities out of reach, the plantation
community has little reason to feel citizen enough.
