Sri Lanka to fully integrate Tamils in the hills into society - President

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Tamil community living in Sri Lanka's hill country will be full integrated in to the Sri Lankan fabric, assured President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday (2), during the Naam-200 celebration that marked 200 years since Indian-origin Tamils arrived in Sri Lanka.

The President said that his goal was to move the country forward by uniting all its citizens. 

He stated that it is the current government’s policy to uphold the rights of all Sri Lankan citizens, regardless of their background, and the aim is to build a developed Sri Lanka by bringing everyone together.

The event at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo, marking the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Indian Origin Tamil (IOT) people in the hill country was graced by Indian Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, and over 5,000 Tamil people from the hills. 

President Wickremesinghe and Indian Finance Minister Sitharaman laid the foundation stone for a project to construct 10,000 houses with Indian aid in the lower part of Mount Vernon Estate, Dimbula, Kotagala.

Additionally, a new auditorium and computer unit at the Hatton Vocational Training Centre were inaugurated virtually, and school equipment was distributed to students, said the President's Media Division.

The President acknowledged the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, for contributing to Sri Lanka’s financial stability, praising the support provided for the successful event. He also commended Indian Finance Minister Sitharaman for her dedication to the cause.

Furthermore, the President stated that this celebration marks the beginning of a new journey for the hill Tamil people, and the government is committed to providing them with land titles and ensuring their right to education.