Uprooting Invisibility: The RTI Journey for Plantation Community Rights in Stockholm Estate

In Stockholm estate, situated within the Nuwara Eliya district, Ambagamuwa Division secretariat, and the
Grama Niladari division of Mahanelu 320K, there was a long-standing issue related to governance and
development. While the Pradeshiya Sabha Act came into effect in 1987, providing other regions with access to services and representation, the estate sector, predominantly inhabited by the plantation community (Malayaham Tamils), was left out questioning their citizenship. For most areas, the election of a representative to the Pradeshiya Sabha meant development, progress and participation a fundamental to grassroots democracy. However, for the plantation community, the rights ended with casting their vote.

A shift seemed to occur in 2016 when the Yahapālanaya Government took steps to integrate plantations into the Pradeshiya Sabha. This led to the establishment of six new Pradeshiya Sabhas in the Nuwara Eliya district. But in reality, this change was more symbolic than effective. The plantation community found that the Pradeshiya Sabha’s services and developmental projects were still beyond their reach. A notable barrier was the perceived requirement of a permission letter from the estate management if a structure or project was to be undertaken within the estate premises say a toilet for women workers in the estate or a daycare unit.

It was this ambiguity and the prevalent notion of needing estate management’s approval that led Sivachandran, an active member of Stockholm Estate, to seek clarity. Leveraging the Right to Information (RTI) Act, he filed an application to the Pradeshiya Sabha in Maskeliya. His inquiry was twofold: firstly, he sought details about the welfare projects undertaken by the Pradeshiya Sabha in Stockholm estate over the past decade; secondly, he wanted clarity on the protocols and permissions required to implement welfare activities in the estate through the Pradeshiya Sabha. The request ended up the RTI Commission for second appeal.

The RTI commission facilitated the process, ensuring that Sivachandran received the information he sought. To his revelation and that of the Stockholm estate community, the Pradeshiya Sabha in Maskeliya confirmed that there was no requirement for a written permission letter from the estate management to initiate and execute welfare projects within the plantation areas by the Predeshiya Sabha.

Thanks to the RTI and the proactive measures taken by individuals like Sivachandran, the plantation community in Stockholm estate is now better informed. They have realized that they have more autonomy and agency than they previously believed. This is a starting point for the community to demand and leverage their entitlements as Sri Lankan citizens and enjoy developmental projects, improved living standards, and an overall better quality of life for the plantation community in Stockholm estate and similar regions.