Jeevan Thondaman, minister of water supply and estate infrastructure development, has urged his political colleagues to promote secular, inclusive policies that prioritize unity over discord.
In his speech as the chief guest at the Friedrich Nauman Foundation’s reception on “Deepening Friendships and Cultural Exchange” between Europe and Asia, Minister Thondaman went into great detail about the value of intercultural exchange and its effect on enlarging minds and boosting understanding.
Without empathy and an understanding of the hopes, challenges, and goals of another society, progress cannot be made, the speaker claimed, when cultural exchanges occur.
The Minister recognized the difficulties experienced by a number of groups in Sri Lanka that are marginalized and shunned, including the LGBTQ community, estate workers, and other facets of Sri Lankan culture.
Minister Thondaman expressed sadness for the prejudice experienced by the LGBTQ community and praised MP Premnath Dolawatte for his Private Member’s Bill to decriminalize same-sex consent relationships while wishing everyone a happy Pride Month.
He stated that for the benefit of all her groups, Sri Lanka must “move forward” in terms of social improvement.
He discussed the Hill Country Tamils’ status as “indentured labor” and how, despite decades of advancement, there was still a long way to go before the community could fairly enjoy its citizenship on the 200th anniversary of their arrival in Sri Lanka.
When combating marginalization and discrimination, Minister Thondaman emphasized the value of allies. “Being gay is not a prerequisite for discussing the LGBTQ community. You don’t have to work on an estate to talk about labor exploitation, he asserted. “Everyone deserves the right to be advocates for change, regardless of their background, where they are from, how they were born, or where they were born.”
At 28 years old, Minister Thondaman is the youngest cabinet member in Sri Lankan history. He has been a steadfast supporter of the rights of marginalized people, particularly plantation laborers and the LGBTQ community. He is the Minister for Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development. He is currently working to implement the broadest water sector reforms ever in order to improve access to clean water and make the industry more climate change resistant. A loan from the ADB for budget support totaling US$200 million underwrites the reform initiative.
