Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya says the long-awaited Indigenous Peoples Bill has been submitted to the Cabinet, with discussions on the proposed legislation expected to begin this week.
Speaking at the 2026 World Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrations held at the Indigenous Heritage Museum in Dambana on August 9, the Prime Minister said the Government remains committed to protecting the rights, culture and traditional way of life of Sri Lanka’s Indigenous communities.
She said Indigenous leader Uruwarige Wannila Aththo and members of the Indigenous community had held discussions with successive governments for many years seeking legislation specifically addressing their rights, but the process had not previously been completed.
According to Amarasuriya, the Bill was referred to the Cabinet following the intervention of Minister Sunil Senevi. She said its enactment would require extensive consultations with relevant ministries, departments, institutions and Indigenous communities while ensuring that the proposed legislation does not conflict with existing laws.
The Prime Minister also said the Government is taking steps to appoint the necessary committees to facilitate discussions on the Bill.
She further announced that an Extraordinary Gazette notification addressing several longstanding issues affecting Indigenous communities had been signed under the leadership of the Minister responsible for the environment.
The measures include provisions relating to Indigenous people’s access to forests for their traditional daily activities, the registration of Indigenous communities and the provision of legal identification.
Amarasuriya said these measures are expected to provide lasting solutions to longstanding concerns and enable Indigenous communities to protect their rights and culture while maintaining their traditional way of life.
She acknowledged that development projects and the designation of national parks have affected Indigenous communities’ access to traditional forest lands and disrupted their way of life.
“Development does not mean destroying the heritage of Indigenous people,” she said, stressing the Government’s commitment to protecting traditional land rights and cultural autonomy while improving access to sustainable livelihoods, education and healthcare.
Addressing the event, Indigenous leader Uruwarige Wannila Aththo said laws are necessary for a country but should be formulated with proper consideration for its people, communities and cultures.
He said Indigenous communities had raised their concerns with successive governments without receiving lasting solutions and urged the current Government to consider their views when drafting legislation affecting them.
The 2026 World Indigenous Peoples’ Day event was held under the theme “Honouring Indigenous Traditional Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being.”
