Sri Lanka's Malaiyaha Tamil Tea Estate Workers Face Serious Labor Abuses, Says Amnesty

Malaiyaha Tamils working on private tea estates in Sri Lanka face severe labor abuses that align with ILO indicators of forced labor, according to Amnesty International. Workers report intimidation, violence, debt bondage, wage theft, and poor living conditions. Systematic discrimination, restricted movement, and lack of legal protections—due to misclassification as "casual workers"—leave them vulnerable. The state fails to enforce labor laws or ensure access to justice. Employers control housing, trapping families in cycles of poverty. Despite Sri Lanka’s ILO commitments, inspections and accountability remain absent. Urgent action is needed to end these human rights violations.