Short History of Relations with Sri Lanka

People to people relations between Sri Lankans and Turks can be traced all the way back to the 11th century, when Prince Jamaldeen, a Turk from Konya arrived in the island in 1016 CE. However, diplomatic/consular relations were established when the Ottman Empire appointed the First Honorary Consul in Ceylon Mr. Hassen Lebbe Marikkar in 1864. His second son Mr. Abdul Majeed succeeded him as the Turkish Consul from 1891 to 1903.

In 1889, when Sultan Abdul Hamid II had sent the imperial frigate Ertuğrul to Japan under the command of Osman Pasha, the ship called on many Asian port cities including Colombo in then Ceylon. The ship reached Colombo on November 1, 1889, and was docked in Colombo for five days during which the Turkish officers and crew formed good relations with the local community. It is recorded that more than 200,000 people visited the frigate Ertuğrul in Colombo.

In 1900, Consul Abdul Majeed actively took part in the Silver Jubilee Celebrations of the accession of Sultan Abdul Hameed II to the throne of the Ottoman Empire. To mark the occasion Consul Abdul Majeed also laid the Foundation stone of the Hameediah School in Colombo, in honor of Sultan Abdul Hameed II.

In the 1900s Sri Lankan Muslims celebrated the silver jubilee of Sultan Abdul Hameed II with rousing fanfare and grand illuminations. He was the head of the Turkish Ottoman Empire and the Caliph, a symbol of Islamic unity. Among the legacies of Sultan Abdul Hamid in Ceylon are the wearing of the fez cap and the display of the “star and crescent”, which are symbols of the Ottoman Empire. A street in the Hulftsdrop area in Colombo is named after the Ottoman Emperor as Abdul Hamid Street.

Mr. Abdul Majeed was succeeded by Sir Mohamed Macan Markar Effendi, from 1903 to 1915. He was initially the Honorary Vice Consul for the Ottoman Empire in Galle and later the Honorary Consul in Colombo. Mohamed Macan Markar was only twenty eight years at the time and was said to be the youngest Consul of the East.

When the Hijaz railway connecting Mecca and Madinah was started in 1907, Ceylon Muslims presented an address of thanks to the Turkish Consul Mohamed Macan Markar for submission to the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. This event was held at the Grand Mosque on New Moor Street in Colombo.

Sir Mohamed Macan Markar Effendi’s house “Villa Stamboul” located at the heart of Colombo is named after Istanbul. The Street on which Villa Stamboul villa is located is called Stamboul Place even today. As the Turkish Consul in Ceylon, he visited Istanbul with his brother Abdul Vadood in 1909.

Following independence of Ceylon on 4 February 1948, (since 1972, Sri Lanka) the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in New Delhi was accredited to Sri Lanka and firstly the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Cairo then the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Tel Aviv was accredited to Türkiye.

From 1977 to 2000, Mr. Hema (Lofty) Wijeratne was the Honorary Consul General for the Republic of Türkiye in Sri Lanka. In 2000, his daughter Mrs. Bharathi Wijeratne succeeded him to the position and served as the Honorary Consul General until 2012.

In 2013, the Embassy of the Republic of Türkiye in Colombo was established and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Ankara was opened in 2012.

References:

Embassy of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Ankara, Türkiye http://www.srilanka.org.tr/demo/The-Ambassador.html

Remembering Lofty: A Patriarch of the Tea Trade http://www.island.lk/2001/06/02/satmag02.html

Sinking of the Ottoman frigate Ertugrul in Japan, 16 September 1890

http://defence.pk/threads/sinking-of-the-ottoman-frigate-ertugrul-in-japan-16-september-1890.208022/

Sri Lanka celebrate 65th Independence day by vibrant and exotic reception http://www.ankarascene.com/haber/sri-lanka-celebrate-65th-independence-day-by-vibrant-amp-exotic-reception-4623.html

Sri Lanka Moor Family Genealogy http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/gen097.html

Sri Lanka Muslim Family Genealogy http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lkawgw/gen106.html

Stamboul Place http://www.colombojumbo.com/2014/04/stamboul-place-doesnt-appear-in-colombo.html

Türkiye–Sri Lanka Political Relations http://www.mfa.gov.tr/türkiye-sri-lanka-relations.en.mfa

Turkish frigate arrives on a goodwill visit http://www.ft.lk/2015/04/27/turkish-frigate-arrives-on-goodwill-visit/