The Civil Society Collective for Malaiyaha Reconstruction has presented a 15‑point set of demands to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, urging urgent action to address the plight of Hill Country Tamil families affected by Cyclone Ditwah.
The collective highlights that months after the disaster, hundreds of families remain in temporary shelters, unsafe houses, and dilapidated plantation buildings, with little clarity on resettlement or land release. They stress that the lack of policy direction and sluggish execution has left many without relief or compensation.
Among the key demands are financial support of up to Rs. 5 million for destroyed homes, equal access to relief without discrimination, formal land deeds for housing, transitional shelters meeting humanitarian standards, and the rebuilding of estate settlements into integrated villages with proper infrastructure.
The group also calls for women’s equal land rights, Tamil language accessibility in official communications, and government responsibility for repairing damaged estate infrastructure.
The collective insists that direct intervention by the President and Prime Minister is essential to clear policy gaps and expedite relief, while urging political parties and parliamentary representatives of the Malaiyaha people to unite in support of a dignified recovery. (Newswire)
