Over 40% of Lanka's tsunami-dead were Muslims: Report

Muslims constitute eight per cent of Sri Lanka's 20 mn people, but they account for 40.8 per cent of the dead in the Dec 26, '04 tsunami, reports PK Balachandran.

Muslims constitute eight per cent of Sri Lanka's 20 million people, but they account for 40.8 per cent of the dead in the December 26, 2004 tsunami.

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Out of the total of 30,718 people killed in the island, 12,562 were Muslims. Amparai district in southeastern Sri Lanka accounted for 7258 (58 per cent) of the total Muslim dead, according to statistics published by the Tamil daily Virakesari on Saturday.

The overall island-wide figure for the missing is 5815. Out of this, 1980 (34 per cent) are Muslims. Of the 14,998 injured, 7285 (48.5 per cent) are Muslims.

The tsunami displaced 230,700 persons island-wide. Out of this, 41,671 (18 per cent) were Muslims.

85,833 houses were fully damaged, out of which Muslim houses accounted for 21,751 (25.3 per cent). Out of the 36,616 houses partially damaged, 12,207 (33.3 per cent) belonged to Muslims.

Though this small and third minority in the island took more than its share of the tsunami tragedy, it is being given a raw deal in post-tsunami reconstruction, Muslim leaders complain.

In the proposed Joint Mechanism between the Government and the LTTE for the North Eastern Province, the Muslims have a minor share. The LTTE, which is the sole representative of the Tamils, enjoys the lion's share of the power. This despite the fact that the LTTE controls only 10 per cent of the tsunami-hit territory in the North East.

According to the World Bank, the Eastern districts (where Muslims live) account for 41.1 per cent of the financial needs. The Southern and Western provinces (where the Sinhalas live) account for 29 per cent and 12.6 per cent respectively. The North, where the Tamils live, accounts for 17.2 per cent.