Eastern muslims of Sri Lanka

Abstract

This chapter reviews the Eastern Muslim identity formation. We discuss the distinct socio-cultural traits and political dynamics that have contributed immensely to developing Eastern Muslim identity consciousness, which in turn has contributed to wider Sri Lankan Muslim identity formation. Muslim identity consciousness solidified in Eastern Sri Lanka in particular because of the 28-year ethnic turmoil in the North and Eastern parts of the country. This chapter argues that although Sri Lankan Muslims are an integrated community in terms of Islamic religious beliefs, Eastern Muslims are unique. Their experience of the conflict and intermingling with the Tamil community marks them as different from the Muslim community in other parts of the country, who have mingled with the Sinhala community.