NO CANDIDATE SPEAKS OUR ISSUES: VEDDA CHIEF

Indigenous tribal leader Wanaspathi Uruwarigelage Wannila Attho expressed concerns about the presidential candidates not addressing issues faced by his people. “I heard the promises of presidential candidates at rallies held in towns. However, they have not put forward a plan to protect the Vedda community that possesses a long history of more than 35,000 years.

He told the media at Kotabakiniya in Dambana that the presidential election was gathering momentum and despite 35 candidates contesting none of them had not put forward a plan to protect the Vedda community and their culture.

“Politicians and the officials used my people just as elephants in Peraheras,” he said.

“Elephants would be gaily decorated with valuable costumes and marched in the Perahera, but they would be forgotten after the festival and left to the humdrum existence. They only visit the area and grandly hold indigenous people’s day to gain international repute.

“We are compelled to participate in that ceremony. It is said that we would not receive any benefit until the next year,” he said.

“I have made continual representations to the successive governments since 1983 on several major issues affecting my clan. I even made representations to the Geneva Human Rights Council regarding discriminations facing us but to no avail. Politicians often talk about the rights of Tamil, and Muslim communities but not those of the Vedda community,” he said

The Vedda Chief said it was a matter of serious concern that there was no mention in the election manifestoes of any Presidential Candidate about this historic community.