Mano Ganesan demands ‘system change’ in plantations
The supply chains in Sri Lanka’s tea and rubber plantations “are getting tainted with the blood of the poor workers,” Colombo district MP and TPA leader Mano Ganesan told Parliament.
Mano Ganesan, leader of Tamil Progressive Alliance and Democratic Peoples Front, made the following observations on social media platform X about the issue:
“The Plantation Companies (#RPC) in Sri Lanka are using private battalions consisting of retired SL Army officers and local goons. The rise of this type of private military is a blunt violation of law and order and is creating chaos in the plantations.
“I have seen these men taking the law into their hands, breaking makeshift dwellings, destroying vegetation grown by workers for their food, and cutting down trees belonging to poor workers. Such acts are happening in plantations in Ratnapura, Kegalle, Kalutara, Galle, and Matara districts.
“Two days ago, these men had visited line-rooms of workers in Ingriya Dumbara estate in Ratnapura district within Kiriella Police area and attacked a worker woman for not attending work. The lady worker has been hospitalized.
“Sri Lanka Police go soft on these incidents for dubious reasons. It was only after my intervention that some goons were arrested. But they will come out on bail. These are symptoms of slavery. It’s the prevailing modern slavery system in the #Lka plantations.
“Unless and until we implement a #SystemChange in the plantations, these types of incidents will continue and grow in severity.
“Hence, the supply chains in the #Lka tea & rubber plantations are getting tainted with the blood of the poor workers,” said the Tamil leader.