President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s  budget proposal to substantially increase the daily wages of Malaiyaha Tamil plantation workers represents one of the most consequential political developments in recent Sri Lankan history. While on the surface it appears to be a straightforward welfare measure aimed at uplifting one of the most marginalised communities in the country, the

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s  budget proposal to substantially increase the daily wages of Malaiyaha Tamil plantation workers represents one of the most consequential political developments in recent Sri Lankan history. While on the surface it appears to be a straightforward welfare measure aimed at uplifting one of the most marginalised communities in the country, the implications run far deeper. The move forces a re-examination of ethnic political alliances, the credibility of plantation-sector political parties, the economics of labour in the plantation industry, and the evolving character of national politics.