Contributions of Eastern Muslims to the National Economy in Srilanka

"In fact, thus, Muslims in Srilanka had made immense contributions to Srilanka economy yet these facts have not made in public or these truths have been concealed in the history of Srilanka"

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by Dr Sulaiman Rifai

(November 04, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Recently I happen to read a brilliant article in the Media titled as The Muslim predicament: some reflections on local and international challenges by Dr Ameer Ali. ( 02/12/ 08) This research article reveals some vivid revelations about the contributions made by Muslims in the East to the national economy in pre & post independent era of Srilanka: These truths have been concealed in unwritten history of Srilankan Muslims and it is now right time to recall these contribution in the context of prevailing ethno-religious unrest in Srilanka: All credits should go to Dr Ameer Ali for his painstaking effort to reveal these truths to us in this historical juncture of our Srilanka: This is a timely needed and significant subject matter that we need to explore more and share our side of arguments with other community with solid evidences: Indeed, Dr Ameer Ali has done this in this excellent article: May Allah bless him with log life to serve our community with his intellectual skills: I would like to share my thought here in line with his writings;

This is indeed, an excellent piece of an academic research which clarifies many historical questions with regards to History of Srilankan Muslims and their contribution to the socio-economic life of Srilankan communities: Particularly the writer reviews precisely the contribution of Eastern Muslims to the economy of this Island: Muslims have been the backbone of Srilankan economy historically: Their Economic contribution has been great ever since Muslim landed in this Island as traders, farmers and as a business community in all aspects of commercial transactions; Indeed, this short research article should be an eye opener to all our Politicians & extremist elements from the Sinhalese & Tamil community who try to belittle Muslim achievement in this country and undermined our contributions to the socio-economic and political life of this country: I think that all politicians and Army leadership should read this research paper so that they could understand the real historical truth about the presence of Muslims in Srilanka: There has been some attempts to marginalise Muslims in recent years: It is very important that our politicians read the history and know the historical fact about each & every community in Srilanka : It is sheer ignorance has caused much damage in communal relationship of Srilankan communities: Multiculturalism is a new phenomenon in our modern world: we have seen that many different Communities come together in the greater interest of their countries in our modern world : unfortunately, this does not happen in Srilanka: All community began to think in a communal line and this endangers the fabric of all our Srilanka communities: I hope that Dr Ameer Alis’ research paper somewhat clarifies some of historical ambiguity in the minds of Sinhalese & Tamil people who undermined Muslim contribution to this nation: He rightly refutes the false claims of these people with historical evidence in a rational and logical way: Dr Ameer Ali precisely describes how our forefathers changed forest and jungles into a fertile land in the Eastern Province:
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Muslims were traders originally, but as time rolled on they took advantage of their strategic location and diverted their attention from trading to farming, and became the economic backbone of the Kandyan kingdom. They cleared the jungles and grasslands in the interior and converted them into arable lands to produce rice. It is sheer fantasy based on emotional anger rather than on solid facts for some people to claim today that the kaazh poomi Muslims either forcibly or through commercial sagacity acquired lands in the past that belonged to some previous occupants. The economic history of this period tells a different story”.

This is the way that Muslims in Srilanka particularly in Eastern Province contributed to the rural economy of Srilanka. This is the way they changed barren land into a fertile land to produce rice to feed the entire Srilankan nations on those days: This is the way that Srilanka Muslim community in the East earned their livelihood through hard work. This is the nature of Srilnkan of Srilankan Muslim community: In the sphere of farming and trading they work hard and they earn their livelihood with self continuance and determination. Yet, some extremists from Tamil and Sinhalese community dare to undermined our contributions to this small Island: Even they try to conceal these historical truths today in our nation’s turmoil: I do not generalise my statements: but 90% of Tamils & Sinhalese people appreciate and highly value Muslim contributions to this Island. yet there are a few politically motivated groups from these communities try to discredit our community’s contribution for their political gain: Dr Ameer Ali further vividly describes how this farming community transformed itself into a business community in throughout our history in this Island: and more importantly he describe the legal method by which Muslim in the East owned the farming lands.

I give here a lengthily quote from Dr Ameer Ali’s writing to illustrate a clear picture of Muslim landownership in the East in a historical context: So, that evey one could appreciate the ways Muslims owned these lands through their hard labour: “The Muslims who arrived from Sitawaka did not come empty handed and penniless. They were not economic refugees but enterprising traders who brought with them not only financial capital which they had accumulated in the past but also the commercial and managerial skill required to succeed in any economic venture. With money in their hands, with valuable skills on economic management acquired through decades of commercial experience,.......... Of course later, when land became a saleable commodity under British colonialism, as some of these agriculturists became more affluent than others, they invested their surplus in extending the acreage of ownership by buying lands from those who wanted to sell. Buying and selling is a normal course of economic transaction in a market economy. Prices prevailing at a particular time and place reflect the prevailing economic circumstances of that time and place. It is economically irrational and socially unjust for some group of people to come now after centuries and claim that those transactions were made unfairly and should be rectified by dissolving those transactional contracts. This is a recipe for economic and social disaster”.

This is the true picture of economic history of Srilankan Muslims in the East: yet. In fact, thus, Muslims in Srilanka had made immense contributions to Srilanka economy yet these facts have not made in public or these truths have been concealed in the history of Srilanka: It is duty and responsibility of our intellectuals to reveal these truths in our modern Srilankan history so that our future generation will not suffer as we do suffer in the hands of extremists and racists: It is surprising to see so called racist elements now come out to reclaim these lands in the name of sacred land and in other names: It is mere ungratefulness to undermined & belittle contributions made by Eastern Muslim to our national economy in Srilanaka; What more saddening is that certain elements in Srilanka try to change demographic patterns Muslims the East from majority community to minority community through new habitation scheme targeting to reduce Muslims percentage in the province: These conspiracies theorists should know the truths and reality first and appreciate our contribution to this country in walk of life and should come forward to live in peace and harmony with other communities in Srilanka: I hope & pray that we should rewrite our history in Srilanka from basics making our contributions in a louder voice so that all these extremist elements in our country know the truths vividly and clearly: It is high time for our Muslim intellectuals like Dr Ameer Ali & others to come out rewrite our history highlighting our contributions from various perspectives: - Sri Lanka Guardian