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Welikala A, Desai S, Pratap Singh P, Fernando A, Thangaraj K, van Driem G, Adikari G, Tennekoon K, Chaubey G, Ranasinghe R. The genetic identity of the Vedda: A language isolate of South Asia. Mitochondrion 2024; 76:101884. [PMID: 38626841 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2024.101884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Linguistic data from South Asia identified several language isolates in the subcontinent. The Vedda, an indigenous population of Sri Lanka, are the least studied amongst them. Therefore, to understand the initial peopling of Sri Lanka and the genetic affinity of the Vedda with other populations in Eurasia, we extensively studied the high-resolution autosomal and mitogenomes from the Vedda population of Sri Lanka. Our autosomal analyses suggest a close genetic link of Vedda with the tribal populations of India despite no evidence of close linguistic affinity, thus suggesting a deep genetic link of the Vedda with these populations. The mitogenomic analysis supports this association by pointing to an ancient link with Indian populations. We suggest that the Vedda population is a genetically drifted group with limited gene flow from neighbouring Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamil populations. Interestingly, the genetic ancestry sharing of Vedda neglects the isolation-by-distance model. Collectively, the demography of Sri Lanka is unique, where Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamil populations excessively admixed, whilst Vedda largely preserved their isolation and deep genetic association with India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjana Welikala
- Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, No. 90, Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka; Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Shailesh Desai
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Prajjval Pratap Singh
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Amali Fernando
- Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, No. 90, Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka
| | - Kumarasamy Thangaraj
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500007, India
| | - George van Driem
- Institut für Sprachwissenschaft, Universität Bern, Länggassstrasse 49, Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Gamini Adikari
- Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya, 407, Bauddhalika Mawatha, Colombo 00700, Sri Lanka
| | - Kamani Tennekoon
- Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, No. 90, Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka
| | - Gyaneshwer Chaubey
- Cytogenetics Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
| | - Ruwandi Ranasinghe
- Institute of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Colombo, No. 90, Cumaratunga Munidasa Mawatha, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka.
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Galappaththi EK, Perera CD, Dharmasiri IP, Ford JD, Kodithuwakku SS, Chicmana-Zapata V, Zavaleta-Cortijo C, Pickering K, van Bavel B, Hyams K, Arotoma-Rojas I, Akugre FA, Nkalubo J, Namanya DB, Mensah A, Hangula MM. Policy responses to COVID-19 in Sri Lanka and the consideration of Indigenous Peoples. Environ Sci Policy 2023; 144:110-123. [PMID: 36949900 PMCID: PMC10011033 DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2023.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has had uneven impacts on health and well-being, with Indigenous communities in the Global South facing some of the highest risks. Focusing on the experience of Sri Lanka, this study identifies key policy responses to COVID-19, documents how they evolved over two years of the pandemic, and examines if and how government responses have addressed issues pertaining to Indigenous Peoples. Drawing upon an analysis of policy documents (n = 110) and interviews with policymakers (n = 20), we characterize seven key policy responses implemented by the Sri Lankan government: i) testing for and identifying COVID-19; ii) quarantine procedures; iii) provisional clinical treatments; iv) handling other diseases during COVID-19; v) movement; vi) guidelines to be adhered to by the general public; and vii) health and vaccination. The nature of these responses changed as the pandemic progressed. There is no evidence that policy development or implementation incorporated the voices and needs of Indigenous Peoples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eranga K Galappaththi
- Department of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States
| | - Chrishma D Perera
- Department of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States
- University of Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
| | - Indunil P Dharmasiri
- Department of Geography, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, United States
| | - James D Ford
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Sarath S Kodithuwakku
- Department of Agricultural Economics & Business Management, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
| | - Victoria Chicmana-Zapata
- Unidad de Ciudadanía Intercultural y Salud Indígena (UCISI), Facultad de Salud Pública y Administración, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | - Carol Zavaleta-Cortijo
- Unidad de Ciudadanía Intercultural y Salud Indígena (UCISI), Facultad de Salud Pública y Administración, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru
| | | | - Bianca van Bavel
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Hyams
- Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Ingrid Arotoma-Rojas
- Priestley International Centre for Climate, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jonathan Nkalubo
- Uganda National Health Research Organization & Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda
| | - Didacus Bambaiha Namanya
- Ministry of Health-Uganda National Health Research Organisation, & Uganda Martyrs, University, Uganda
| | - Adelina Mensah
- Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Martha M Hangula
- Department of Animal Production, Agribusiness and Economics, University of Namibia, Namibia
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Welikala AHJ, Ranasinghe R, Tennekoon KH, Kotelawala JT, Weerasooriya PR. Mitochondrial DNA (CA) n dinucleotide repeat variations in Sinhalese and Vedda populations in Sri Lanka. Genetica 2022. [PMID: 35141800 DOI: 10.1007/s10709-022-00150-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Sinhalese and Vedda people are respectively the major ethnic group and the descendants of the probably earliest inhabitants of Sri Lanka, both believed to have a long history of settlement on the island. However, very little information is available on the origin and possible migration patterns of the two populations. Some studies have focused on (CA) dinucleotide repeat variations located in the mitochondrial hypervariable region 3 (HVS3) (base pairs 514-524) as a useful biomarker to understand migration patterns of different populations. Hence, here we analyze these repeat variations in these two ethnic groups to understand their historical roots and possible patterns of gene flow. Blood samples were collected from healthy, maternally unrelated individuals (N = 109) and mitochondrial D-loop was amplified and sequenced. The (CA)4 dinucleotide repeat in hypervariable region 3 was detected in the majority of Vedda samples while the remaining samples were defined by a (CA)5 cluster. In contrast, the (CA)5 repeat was the most frequent among Sinhalese followed by (CA)4 and (CA)7 repeats. Haplogroup diversity of (CA)4 variation indicated that the majority of Sinhalese individuals grouped into the M30 haplogroup while Vedda clustered into the R5a2b and U7a2 haplogroups. No significant differences in diversity measures were observed among the two populations. However, Multidimensional Scaling indicated a separate clustering for aboriginal Vedda and contemporary Sinhalese populations. Results from this study can be used together with mitochondrial DNA information from hypervariable regions 1 and 2 to perform anthropological and forensic investigations in the two populations studied.
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