Tamil speakers neglected - Minister

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 September 1998, 09:39 GMT]
Producers and marketers of consumer goods in Sri Lanka are practising racial discrimination in packaging, says Mr. P. Chandrasekaran, junior minister for housing in plantation areas.

In a letter to the marketing manager responsible for authorising sales of consumer goods in Sri Lanka, he argues that it was not just the majority Sinhalese, who are buying these goods, but also the Tamils in northeast, the plantation region and other areas pay with their hard earned money for the items.

When they fail to find details of ingredients, preparing instructions and date of expiry in their own tongue, he says, they become frustrated that Tamil language is being neglected, and often feel alienated.

Furthermore, he criticised the govt. by saying that it wouldn't suffice merely to enact laws to bring about ethnic reconciliation, while failing to implement them on the ground.

He urged other sections of the society such as social organisations and producers and marketers of consumer goods to actively contribute for the process.