A/HRC/34/53/Add.3 the lower caste groups have clearly inherited status that limits them, by birth, to certain occupations that are considered the most dirty, menial and hazardous, such as manual scavenging and street sweeping, and that are passed down through generations, continuing patterns of social exclusion and marginalization. Most of these persons suffer discrimination in all spheres of life, have limited or no access to political representation and often have their children excluded from the education system, perpetuating the cycle of extreme poverty. The Public Representations Committee on Constitutional Reform stated that it had received information from “discriminated caste and menial labour groups”, indicating that they faced several challenges with regard to access to services as well as to representation and development. 57. In Jaffna, where the caste system is reportedly the most rigid, the Special Rapporteur was told of deep-rooted discrimination and inherent structural inequality in all spheres of life, including employment, education, the right to own property and political representation. In Kandy, Indian Tamil scavengers in Mahaiyawa working in inner-city settlements live in the worst sanitary conditions in the city, in a slum-like settlement. Members of lower caste groups within the Sinhalese community in Welivita, Henawala and Kuragala, which are remote villages in the central region, are confined to hereditary caste occupations as scavengers, living in small groups in conditions of extreme poverty and socially ostracized. Historically, the Plantation community is said to be constituted largely of members ascribed to lower castes. Their historical exclusion from access to resources, services and development as well as political participation, which kept them in extreme poverty for generations, is attributable, at least in part, to their caste status. The patterns of migration from the rural areas of the central provinces reportedly indicate that most women migrants are from depressed caste communities. It is reported that most of those still languishing in the internally displaced camps are also persons of low caste groups. 58. While there are differences of opinion on whether caste-affected groups fall under the category of “minority groups” in Sri Lanka, it is evident that there are significant segments of Sri Lankan society that face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination on the grounds of both their minority status and descent. Therefore, the approach taken by the Public Representations Committee on Constitutional Reform in recommending various areas of constitutional reform, to consider caste groups among the “minorities and underrepresented groups” requiring particular attention, seems to have much validity in the Sri Lankan context. G. Smaller minority groups 59. The Special Rapporteur held a meeting in Colombo with representatives of the Burghers, Malays, Telugus, indigenous Veddas and Sri Lankan Africans, among others. With the exception of the Burghers in Colombo, common issues that featured in the testimonies were neglect and lack of inclusion in consultation and decision-making processes; stigmatization and labelling, including racial epithets, despite their selfidentification (Telugus called Gypsies, Sri Lankan Africans called Kaffirs, etc.); pressure to change their traditional life styles, which was especially devastating for the Veddas; and lack of mother tongue education and opportunities to transmit their languages to the next generation. The participants expressed appreciation for a chance to come together, listen to each other and realize that their issues, concerns and aspirations, and therefore possibly the solutions, were very often the same. Many expressed the wish to have such dialogues continued. They noted that safe places of discussion, where views and ideas could be freely exchanged, were currently lacking, hindering the strengthening of intercommunal relationships. 15