- Note that the image above was created by AI.
Hundreds protest in Hatton as Sri Lanka’s plantation workers, who fueled the nation’s tea economy for two centuries, demand land ownership. Civil society groups accuse the government of betrayal, while officials promise legal reforms.
A major protest broke out in Hatton as civil society groups and the Mountain People’s Land Rights Movement called on the government to grant land ownership to plantation workers who have powered Sri Lanka’s tea industry for over 200 years.
The protest was spearheaded by Thangavel Ganeshalingam, the chief convener of the movement, who criticized successive governments for failing to provide even a single freehold land plot to the plantation community. He stressed that the people do not need charity housing projects but access to vacant land to build homes for themselves.
Ganeshalingam emphasized that plantation workers had rallied behind the current government during elections, hoping for real change. Now, he says, that trust is eroding as promises remain unfulfilled.
As the protest intensified, National People’s Power MP Manjula Suraweerarachchi, also Chairman of the Nuwara Eliya District Development Committee, arrived at the scene and addressed the crowd. He assured protesters that the government supports their cause and is working on a legal solution to address the long-standing land issue.
Representing the Ceylon Workers’ Congress, Kanapathi Kanagaraj also took part in the demonstration, signaling broader political support for the demands.
The protesters insist this is not just about land but about dignity and justice for generations of laborers whose contribution to the national economy has long been overlooked.
About the Author
