Key Points
New Delhi: Two hundred years ago, thousands of indentured Tamil labourers landed on the shores of Sri Lanka, and made the long, arduous journey to its central and southern hills to work in tea, coffee, and rubber plantations...
Brought by the British from India, the Malaiyaha (Hill Country) Tamils, or Indian-origin Tamils, have borne the brunt of several injustices from being stripped of their citizenship to working in inhumane conditions on tea plantations...
The history of Sri Lankan tea plantations and its workers is tied to the ethnic make-up of the island nation and the upcountry Tamils are at the bottom of the totem pole..
The community is a distinct ethnic group, constituting the fourth largest population on the island nation following the Sinhalese, the Sri Lankan Tamils, and the Muslim community...
An Upcountry Charter is also being prepared to address issues like gender equality, health and nutrition, and child growth and development to help the community fully integrate into Sri Lankan society...
