By Saman Indrajith

Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) leader and Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development, Jeevan Thondaman, plans to bring the grievances of his community before Global Union Federation Public Services International in Geneva and other international fora, such as the World Economic Forum and International Labor Organization, next month, he said.

“I have only one agenda, and that is to see the emancipation of the people of my community. It is saddening to notice that even after 200 years of toiling, shedding sweat, blood, and tears to nurture this nation, a significant portion of the Sri Lankan population does not consider the estate worker community as part of this country.

“Some view this community as Indian, failing to realize that we are Indian origin Tamils. We are not Indians; we are Sri Lankans. We were brought here 200 years ago, yet injustices against upcountry Tamils persist. Presently, we face injustices from the government, companies, and the people, all combined,” Minister Thondaman said in an interview with the Sunday Island on Thursday.

“In Geneva, when Sri Lanka and Tamils are mentioned, the focus is primarily on the North and East. They don’t talk about us. The UN in Geneva is not just a forum for war-affected areas; it addresses injustices worldwide. It is a platform where we can shed light on the sad reality that our people continue to face neglect and injustice, along with exploitation and many other injustices.

“If the global stage becomes aware of the situation of upcountry workers, the private sector here may be compelled to take meaningful action to end exploitation. Our intention in going to Geneva is not to undermine companies or disrupt revenues. Whenever estate unions resort to strikes or any other actions, we are advised not to do anything that would harm the economy. While we understand the need to protect the country’s interests, it cannot come at the expense of the 1.5 million people who are consistently neglected,” the minister said.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: UNHRC sessions in Geneva are currently in progress, and the place seems to be becoming increasingly hostile to Sri Lankan interests. How do you justify your mission to address these issues?

A: We are not going to the UNHRC. I am attending the PSI (Public Service International) Labour Conference and meeting with other stakeholders in Geneva, such as the World Economic Forum, ILO, and other unions.

I disagree with your characterization of Geneva as a hostile territory for the Sri Lankan government. In my view, it is the epicenter of geopolitics. It’s important to recognize that a war did take place in this country, whether we accept it or not. Regardless of one’s status—be it a soldier, a terrorist, or a separatist—lives were lost on both sides.

In a war, there are no winners or losers. Thus, our first duty is to acknowledge the lives lost. We have made significant progress in terms of reconciliation and establishing the Truth and Reconciliation mechanism. The UNHRC should acknowledge the efforts of the current government in this regard. We cannot be held responsible for the actions of previous governments, as this is a coalition government formed with the support of parliamentarians from various parties.

We have completed about 19 or 20% of the resolutions that were set in 2015 in relation to the Sri Lanka’s course of action. President Ranil Wickremesinghe is making great strides in terms of reconciliation and also with the truth and reconciliation mechanism that is coming in. The UNHRC will need to recognize that this government cannot answer for actions of previous governments.

This as you are aware is a coalition government. It is a national government for all of us. Ranil Wickremesinghe when became the President was the only member in parliament from the UNP. He was supported by parliamentarians across the board. It was a secret vote. So how can you say it’s only SLPP that made him President? Are you telling me nobody from SJB voted for him? Nobody from TNA voted for him?

Alliances were broken and new alliances were formed. I am fairly confident that it was not only the SLPP that voted for him. Some who had voted joined the government while some others did not do so because of the political offices they hold but they’ll eventually come and join.

The UNHRC has to recognize the efforts made by the current President in terms of reconciliation. Though he has the intention of reconciliation he needs the support of all to put it into action. I do not think anybody wants to divide Sri Lanka. Everyone wants to unite it. Unfortunately, there are certain politicians with ideologies to create tensions so that their political interests would be protected. But the truth of the matter is that Geneva should recognize the efforts made by the government towards reconciliation. We have not completed reconciliation but are on the pathway to reconciliation.

Q: What issues are you planning to highlight?

A: Our primary concern is the exploitation of the tea estate worker community. If this continues, this community will be completely destroyed. Each worker is entitled to a 1,000-rupee daily wage, which is equivalent to $3.50. Companies pay this amount only if a worker plucks 20 kilos of tea. They are unwilling to pay more, arguing that they cannot sustain higher wages. However, what’s the point of the company surviving if these people are going to suffer? My goal is to bring this issue to light, not just for the government but also for the private sector and the public to recognize their responsibility toward this community.

Regarding government support, there has historically been a meager annual budget allocation of three billion rupees for this community, which has been deprived of its civic rights for 30 years. We need more comprehensive solutions than just building occasional houses. We must provide these people with the means to sustain their lives. Our main objective in going to Geneva is to ensure that the international community sees this injustice. Our community is an integral part of Sri Lanka, and we seek recognition and respect for the significant contributions we’ve made to the nation’s development.

At a government level we are facing that backlash while on the company level we are facing exploitation. Company owners in Colombo or their CEOs do not know when they say that minimum wage is paid to every worker who plucks 20 or 30 kilos. For example, a CEO would tell the manager that his target is to deliver 20,000 kilos this month. Then the manager’s job is to achieve that target. How does the manager achieve that target? He would squeeze the workers to the last drop of blood and sweat to get that 20,000 kilos.

The workers are provided houses to live as long as they work. There are many instances family members of workers losing their houses where they had lived for over 20 years because the company takes those houses back because the house is property belonging to the company. The manager of the company has the power to throw out the family after its breadwinner worker reaches the age of 60 years. The company’s position is that if you are not fit enough to work for my company, you are not fit enough to stay in the estate you are born.

There had been many discussions on this matter. Even many agreements had been signed since the days of late Ranasinghe Premadasa to change this situation. I believe there are more than 400 agreements. However, the problem persists. There are instances where the estate workers would not be permitted to build a toilet for his house by companies. What kind of inhumane treatment is this?

My view is not to bash the companies but to make them understand that only if the industry survives, they will survive. For that they must treat workers with respect and dignity. There were around 535,000 workers about 20 years ago. Today this number comes down to 135,000. Around 400,000 workers have left tea estate work and gone into daily work in farming or to work as domestic help or as unskilled migrant workers. They do so because they are getting a fair wage, dignity and self-respect.

In tea estates they are treated like slaves. While the CEOs of the plantation companies are some of the richest CEOs in the country, the workers are fighting to get a one dollar increase in their wages. The companies are making profits but workers are not benefiting. An average worker is supposed to pluck 20 kilos of tea leaves a day to be entitled for the Rs 1,000 wage. Let’s say that worker brings 23 kilos. Then the manager would cut off one kilo for moisture if there were rains on the previous day and two kilos for the weight of the basket which has been given to the worker by none other than the company itself. The basket actually weighs only 400 or 500 grams. If there is a factory shortage another kilo is cut off. Finally, the worker has only 19 kilos and is not entitled for the full daily wage. All these reasons for cutting off are beyond the control of the worker. However, all those amounts cut off go into the final product.

In the meantime, when we speak of injustice, they peddle a narrative of convenience. They say the Thondaman family has been in power for so many years, nothing has happened for the workers. Our people do not fall for these lies. They know us and that is why they vote for us.

Q: How do you view India’s role in this regard?

A: The migration from India began in 1823 due to famine instigated by the British. They brought Indians, particularly from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, as cheap labor to work in various sectors. Since then, our community has experienced exploitation and suffering. India has always been concerned about our community’s welfare and has made efforts, such as the Sirima-Shastri pact in 1964. However, India should work in collaboration with the Sri Lankan government to help our community, recognizing that we are of Indian origin but are also Sri Lankan citizens.

Since 1823 the British brought down Indians here as cheap labour from Rameshwaram or Dhanushkody to Talaimannar by ship and from there onwards made them to walk to Matale Mutumari Amman Temple which was used as a transit point to separate and assign Indians to estates at various places. Since then it is story of agony, exploitation, abuse and misery.

Then we had the JVP emergencies and war. Though we did not take part in any of them we still suffered collateral damage. Owing to this plight of people of Indian origin India always has concerns about our community.

Q: The CWC is accused of supporting whatever government is in power.

A: To effectively help our community, we need political strength. People question why we often switch parties. We represent a significant community with over 1.5 million members who lack access to quality education, healthcare, roads, and housing. We cannot afford to sit in opposition and oppose everything a government does. We cooperate with whichever president who is in office. The CWC is the leading party in the upcountry, and we have the support of our community. Our focus is on achieving social progress, which requires equity rather than mere equality. Our aim is not to divide but to unite Sri Lanka. We want recognition for the historical injustices our community has endured.

Q: People complain about water tariff increases.

A: As the Minister of Water Supply and Estate Housing, we understand the concerns about the water tariff hike. We designed it to minimize the impact on the poor. By December, we plan to introduce a comprehensive cost-reflective or cost-recovery formula, effective from January 1. We believe this will streamline the water sector and gain public satisfaction. We inherited a ministry with various issues, including financial mismanagement and political appointments. Our goal is to bring about a tariff that aligns with the cost of providing water services, and we are working on this with organizations like the ADB and the Ministry of Finance.

Q: How do you describe the current political situation?

A: In my view, the current president has taken significant steps to stabilize the country both financially and politically. He has managed to obtain support of MPs from many parties, demonstrating his commitment to reconciliation and financial sustainability. Consistency has been lacking in Sri Lanka, with each government reversing the reforms of the previous one. The president’s steadfastness and integrity, despite losing elections, are admirable. Sri Lanka’s future depends on maintaining this course of action, ensuring stability and progress.