in the eastern provinces of the country muslims are predominant. these muslims were settled on land given by the sinhalese king senarat of kandy after the muslims were persecuted by the portuguese. east coast sri lankan moors are primarily farmers, fishermen, and traders. according to the controversial census of 2007, the moors are 5% (only moors, not the entire muslim population of the eastern province). their family lines are traced through women, as in kinship systems of the southwest indian state of kerala, but they govern themselves through islamic law.