A special committee headed by Wildlife and Forest Conservation Ministry Secretary has been appointed on the advice of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, to provide solutions to the problems of the Adivasi (indigenous) people in Sri Lanka. The committee has prepared a report after discussing with the relevant parties about the problems faced by the Adivasi people, and a special discussion on the recommendations and proposals of the report was held yesterday (11) morning at the Parliament Complex under the chairmanship of the Minister of Justice. Under the chairmanship of the Wildlife and Forestry Ministry Secretary, the committee was appointed representing the Wildlife and Forestry Ministry, the Directorate General of Wildlife, the Department of Wildlife, the Department of Irrigation, the Justice Ministry, the Attorney General’s Department, the Police, the Alternative Policy Centre and the Mahaweli Authority.
The committee has made recommendations regarding the problems faced by the Adivasi people in discussion with the parties including the Adivasi leader Uruvarige Vanniyalatto.
Wildlife and Forestry Ministry Secretary R.M.C.M.Herath informed the officials including the Minister of Justice regarding the recommendations included in the report prepared by the committee. She said that 15 organizations were consulted to prepare the report, citing that the Adivasi people are a special group of people, and that there is no proper data system about this community, and government institutions and non-governmental organizations jointly conduct programs for the Adivasi people, and their livelihoods are agriculture, fishing, forestry and dairy cattle farming related jobs. She added that many problems were identified, including the updating of the MoU on Adivasi people.
Minister of Justice speaking at the discussion said:“There is no result in providing temporary solutions to the problems of the Adivasi people in this country. Permanent solutions should be provided. Accordingly, a new bill must be prepared to provide solutions to the existing problems of the indigenous people.
It can be done to protect the rights of the Adivasi people. Further discussion can be done after preparing the relevant bill. At the same time, necessary recommendations should be prepared for the livelihood activities of the Adivasi people including fishing, agriculture, and wildlife.
A special committee with legal authority should be appointed to coordinate the institutions involved in the daily life of the Adivasi people through the relevant Act.” The Minister of Justice also said that rules should be made in such a way that the officials represented by the committee are appointed with official powers. The Minister instructed the officials to prepare the related bill and the regulations to protect the rights of the Adivasi people within a month.
Adivasi leader Uruvarige Vannilattan said that the problems faced by the Adivasi people of Sri Lanka have existed for many years, and that the former presidents and other authorities have signed memorandums of understanding on several occasions, and that they are confident that a permanent solution to the problems of their community will be found this time.
Secretary of the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation R.M.C.M.Herath, Wildlife Director General Chandana Suriya Bandara, Attorney General’s Department, Police Department, Wildlife Department and Centre for Alternative Policy, represented the officials for this discussion.
Varuna Dayaratne