The Kattankudy Story

In Brotherhood with the South

The Date Palm Trees of Kattankudy add a new dimension to the beauty of Sri Lankan cities. Although there is a sense of resentment in some quarters, the Date Palm Trees in Kattankudy give special diversified look to the Eastern province. Those who appreciate the beauty of nature can’t deny this.

Chairman of the Kattankudy Urban Council S.H. Mohammed Ashfar explained that the Date Palm Trees came to Kattankudy and from different parts of Sri Lanka instead of being imported.

“Most of the Date Trees are from different parts of Sri Lanka, brought down from faraway places like Bandarawela, Badulla, Puttalam, Kurunegala and Jaffna. When the media said the trees were imported from Saudi Arabia, we were very saddened. What is the purpose for spreading such lies?” he asked.

“Only a few misguided people were involved in the Easter Sunday attacks. Our media told the world that Kattankudy is the fortress of Saharan. As the Mayor of Kattankudy, I can say with great responsibility, that these people were chased away from Kattankudy in 2015 during the general elections” he says.

According to the Chairman of the Kattankudy Urban Council, the Date Palm Trees came to Kattankudy by coincidence. Initially, they had planned to plant a Fern or Palmyra Trees but they were also concerned about the difficulties.

“The idea to plant Date Palm Trees came from a prominent Sinhala architect. The roots of the date palm tree don’t require much water. The dew that falls on the tree early in the morning is what is needed most. The Date Tree is very close to our Muslim culture. It’s like the Bo tree for the Buddhists. The date is also a good nourishing fruit. So what’s wrong if we grow Date Palm Trees? Will it have a bad effect on anyone?” The Mayor asks.

In the Eastern Province, especially in Kattankudy many name boards appear in Arabic instead of the national languages Sinhala, Tamil or English. The propaganda surrounding this implies that the Eastern Province will become a Saudi Arabia through fast-growing Madrasa schools. We have not been able to find Arabic name boards in any public place other than religious places in Kattankudy. It was very clear that the name boards were not Arabized in Kattankudy where considerable number Muslims live.

“We have used Arabic letters in schools that teach our religion. Everything in our religion is written in Arabic. Similar to Pali language in which everything of Buddhism is written. We learn Arabic to understand our religion, not to Arabize this country. The boards you see in Arabic are “greetings” like Ayubowan,” says the Mayor.

The population density of Kattankudy is 7000 per Sq. Km. and the total population is 55825. Kattankudy covers an area of 6.5 square kilometers and its residents are 100% Muslim. Sadly, those who are trying to portray Kattankudy as a little Arab country, never see the Sinhalese working in Kattankudy.

The chief sawman at the Metro Saw Mill at Kattankudy was one Nihal from Hingurakgoda . The owner of the mill K.M.Najeeb was proud to say that the workers in the mill are of various ethnicities.

“Our chief bass was Nihal from Hingurakgoda.  He was working with us for over 4 years. For him, Kattankudy was like his hometown. He went home after the Easter Sunday attack and has not returned. When we heard what was said in the media, we wondered if we live in the same Kattankudy they referred to.”Eas

Thirty-five-year-old Sanjeewa Buddhika Kumara has come to Kattankudy to cover up the work of Hingurakgoda Nihal. He is from Akurana. Sanjeewa is also no stranger to Kattankudy.

“Even though I was here for three months, I have worked in Kattankudy for many years. We have no problem. People here are kind to us. We have no difference here. Kattankudy is not a bad place. They treat us like their own people. That’s why I’m still here,” said Sanjeewa Buddhika.

“It is true that Kattankudy is 100% Muslim. But there are plenty of Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Burgher workers here. The media propagated that the Sinhalese had no place to work in Kattankudy or run a shop. This is a lie” said Metro Saw Mill owner K.M. Najeeb.

Most of the houses on Kattankudy Beach Road are rented out by fishermen from the South who come to catch ornamental fish. They spend months here from May to November each year.

“We are in Kattankudy every year during this season. We’ve been coming here for eighteen years. We haven’t had any big problem from anyone. Even those who frowned at us after the Easter Sunday attack are looking at us with a smiling face now. They’ve realized they’ve gone wrong somewhere,” says 48-year-old K.D.A.R. Jeevanath, a fisherman from Matara.

J.M. Chandana Sisira Kumara, a technical officer in a construction project in Kattankudy is from Mahiyanganaya. Kumara, who came to Kattankudy after the Easter Sunday attack, says “I was a bit nervous when I arrived. We did not experience what we had seen or heard in the media. But the devil is not as dark as you say. Not everyone is a Saharan. The people here are very friendly”

It is an open secret that no one other than Muslims have the opportunity to do any business in Kattankudy. “It’s true. We don’t sell our shops to anyone. This is because we have no shops or houses in Kattankudy to sell,” said K.L.M. Farid, President of Kattankudy Business Forum.

“We have already opened the Kattankudy Friday Fair and invited everyone to do business at the fair. Sinhalese and Tamil traders from many parts of the country are successfully doing business in our fair,” Kattankudy Municipal Council Chairman S.H. Mohammed Ashfar said.

This being the situation, residents of Kattankudy who live in various parts of the country are confronted with various problems, said journalist Farhan of the area. “After the attack a difficult situation has arisen for our people to live in other parts of the country.  Shops that have been taken on rent for a period of five years are being taken back. As a result, our people are in quandary, not knowing what to do.  None of us approve of terrorism. We are against it. We are people of this country. We kindly ask others not to treat us differently,” says Farhan. 

This year, the first Hajj festival after the Easter Sunday incident was not joyful as previous years in Kattankudy. The entire Muslims community felt disgrace because of the wrongdoing of some. Kattankudy Muslims extend their arms in brotherhood to the South, claiming that the action of one person should not be placed on the shoulders of the entire Muslims community.