Sri Lanka proposes landmark law to safeguard indigenous Vedda rights

Sri Lanka's government has submitted the long-awaited Indigenous Peoples' Bill to the Cabinet and signed an extraordinary gazette to legally register the indigenous Vedda community.

The bill also grants them formal identity documents, and restore traditional access to ancestral forest habitats for their livelihoods. It also aims to protect the distinct identity, heritage, and traditional knowledge of the Veddas, who face high risks of cultural erosion and marginalization.