Cultural Rights

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69. The Committee is concerned at the socioeconomic marginalization of the Veddah people. It is also concerned that the State regulation of land, forest and agriculture, in particular the designation of large tracts of land as national parks and sanctuaries, has had a detrimental impact on the livelihoods and traditional ways of living of the Veddah people and has led to repeated displacement. The Committee is alarmed by the fact that only around 20 per cent of Veddah children attend school, which is a consequence of early marriages (arts. 2 and 15).

70. The Committee recommends that the State party conduct a comprehensive census that includes the element of the right to free self-identification of the Veddah people and that it address the root causes of their socioeconomic marginalization. It also recommends that the State party ensure that the declaration of land as national parks and sanctuaries is always done in close consultation with those affected, especially the Veddah people. The Committee also urges the State party to ensure that all Veddah children attend school until the end of compulsory school age. The Committee also recommends that the State party ratify the ILO Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169).