President Ranil Wickremesinghe has emphasised the need to uphold the social and economic rights of the Indian-origin Tamil community.
The President made these remarks at the inauguration ceremony of the fourth phase of the Indian housing project ‘Bharat-Lanka’, held at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (19 Jan.).
Commenting in this regard, the Head of State noted that the government is actively initiating this process, with negotiations currently underway with estate companies to acquire land for the construction of these houses. Consequently, we anticipate commencing related housing programs in the near future.
“The Tamil community of Indian Origin, who have made significant contributions to the country’s economy, have unfortunately suffered great losses due to the lack of land and housing ownership. Today, they have been deprived of their political rights, but it is imperative that their economic and social rights are upheld”, President Wickremesinghe said.
He further revealed that discussions are also underway to find solutions for the issues faced by those in the North East, and the Tamil and Muslim communities residing in the Upcountry region, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.
Speaking on the recent economic crisis faced by Sri Lanka, President Wickremesinghe acknowledged that while acute hardships were faced for a certain period of time, Sri Lanka has now overcome bankruptcy and resumed economic activities, with significant financial aid from India.
“It is crucial to acknowledge that our progress from the recent economic crisis was significantly aided by the financial support provided by India. Without this assistance, our path forward would indeed be challenging”, he said in this regard.
