Politics of Tamil-Muslim relations

POLITICS of Sri Lankan Tamil-Muslim relations has a chequered history of more than a century dating back to 1880s. Although these two communities are linguistically one linked by their mother tongue Tamil, there is a simmering feeling of mistrust between the two communities which separates them not only politically but had even led to intermittent inter-communal violence. Social contact between the two communities at present remains very superficial and business like in comparison to a happier past.

- By Dr. Ameer Ali

Although the main attention is on Sinhalese-Tamil reconciliation, there is also a need for Tamil-Muslim reconciliation.

F.X.C. Nadaraja's 'Mattakkalappu Maanmiyam' written in Tamil and S.O. Kanagaratnam's 'The Monograph of Batticaloa District' are two valuable works to understand how cordial and friendly Tamil-Muslim relations in the Eastern Province had been in the past until politics intervened to disrupt that cordiality and friendliness. For instance, in several of the Hindu temples along the southern coast of Batticaloa District there used to be a special thanksgiving 'pooja' for Pattani Muslims who supposed to have assisted the Mukkuvars in their fight against Thimilars. Until very recently, there was a statue inside the Kurukkalmadam temple featuring Pattani Muslims and which this columnist had seen. (It is not there anymore).

Why was this friendly past allowed to disappear?

Likewise, Muslim chieftains or 'maraikayars' of Kattankudy used to carry salt to honour the Hindu festival in Thanthonrichcaram temple in Kokkaddichcholai and in return the administrators of that temple used to attend the annual mawlood ceremony at Meerapalli mosque in Kattankudy. According to Kanagaratnam the Kudi system in Kattankudy is linked to the caste stratification of Mukkuvars. Why was this peaceful and friendly past allowed to disappear and get riddled with inter-communal mistrust and rivalry?