Jaffna

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Jaffna

Jaffna (யாழ்ப்பாணம் in Tamil meaning யாழ்=harp, பாணம்=town of harper, යාපනය in Sinhala) the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It had been the second largest city in the country for several decades, till recent times.

Demography

Prior to the civil war most residents of Jaffna were Tamil speaking, Sri Lankan Tamils, with a notable Muslim and Sinhalese presence. There were also various ethnic groups from India such as Indian Tamils, Telugus, Malayalees and Bohra Muslims from Pakistan.

Most Tamils of Jaffna were Hindus followed by a significant Catholic and Protestant minority. Hindu Tamils were also divided along caste lines with Vellalar forming the majority.

Economic activities

Prior to the civil war it was a place of many small scale industries manufacturing house hold items as well as packaging and food processing for export. Most industrialists have left or closed shops. Currently the primary economic activity is related to trading. The foreign remittance from the Tamil Diaspora sustains many people.

Educational instituitions

Jaffna is considered to be the most literate district in the whole of Sri Lanka, which has a very high literacy level to begin with. In early days (before 1970s') Sri Lankan universities were dominated by Jaffna students but currently their enrollment is minimized due to the effects of race based quota system introduced in 1970s as well as the effects of the civil war.

Founded by American missionaries in 1819, Jaffna College, has records of Malaysian, Singaporean, South Indian and even Japanese students enrollment in 1930s and 1940s. American missionaries also founded many other institutions of higher learning that are still functioning today.

The concentration of so many educational institutions within a small geographic area has produced a large number of highly literate Jaffna Tamils who had to leave the area and the country to find appropriate jobs. During the British colonial era educated Jaffna Tamils were recruited by the British in their overseas colonies namely in Malaysia and Singapore as government bureaucrats whose descendants still live there.

Media

The first newspaper in Jaffna, Uthayatharakai (Morning Star) was published in 1841. C. W. Thamotharampillai, Morning Star editor

Ethnic conflict

Due to the current civil war, the city has witnessed countless numbers of murders, rapes, wholesale massacres and disappearances of the civilian population. Currently it is occupied by the Sri Lankan Army; prior to 1995 it was briefly occupied by the LTTE. Due to ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, many residents have moved out of the city, and thus the population has been reduced dramatically. According to the 2001 census, the population of the city is about 145,600. Jaffna also functions as the economic and cultural capital of Sri Lankan Tamils.

It was also a so-called 'stronghold' of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a political and military organization seeking the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam for Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka.

Mass exodus

Many of the Tamils from this region have moved out to other parts of the island or to foreign countries (See Tamil diaspora). This exodus of Tamils from Jaffna has occurred for a number of reasons. The Muslim population and some Sinhala had been forced to leave Jaffna within 48 hours notice in 1990 due to an LTTE order.

There have been claims of human rights violations on both sides. Due to Jaffna becoming a constant battleground between the Sri Lankan military and the LTTE, many people have been displaced. The tense security situation over the years of the ceasefire has left Jaffna in a precarious position as it is likely to be a key target should the conflict renew in the future.

History

In the 13th Century, Jaffna Kingdom was established by Arya Chakaravarthi ^*, a chieftain of the South Indian Pandyan Empire. The Kingdom was Saivite Hindu in its religion and Tamil in an island that was Buddhist in character till then. Even before the establishment of the independent Jaffna Kingdom, the general area had become independent of Sinhalese rule due to the efforts of Kalinga Magha, a chieftain from Kalinga (present day Orissa state of India) and Chandrabhanu a King from the Malacca Straits region.

The Kingdom had suzerainty over the Jaffna Peninsula, Northern Vanni Districts, Mannar and the Pearl rich western Puttalam coast. It had two seats of govt, one in Nallur and other during the Pearling season in the Puttalam city.The Kingdom was aggressively expanding South at the expense of the costal Kotte kingdoms when Portuguese colonials showed up in 1505. After lasting for over 400 years, it finally lost its independence to the Portuguese in 1621. With its demise, the only indigenous independent political entity that was not Sinhalese and Buddhist in character came to an end, the repercussions of which are still reverberating.

The Portuguese built the Jaffna Fort and the moat around it. The Tamils and the Kandyan Kingdom collaborated and conspired with the Dutch rulers of Batavia. The Dutch invasion from Batavia brought religious freedom for Tamils and Muslims. The Jaffna Tamil has several Potuguese words. eg. mesai, janal, alavangu, sappathu.

The Dutch rule and the English rule were approximately 3 centuries in length with each ruling for approximately 150 years. The Jaffna Tamil has several Dutch words still in usage. eg kantor, urulos.

Jaffna Harbour

Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project will increase the productivity of the Jaffna Harbour positively. Enlargement of the harbour will bring benefits to Sri Lanka. The strategic advantages derive from obtaining a navigable sea route close to the coast, with a reduction in travel distance of more than 350 nautical miles (650 km) (for larger ships). The project is expected to provide a boost to the economic and industrial development of coastal Tamil Nadu. The project will be of particular significance to Jaffna, Kankesanthurai, Mannar, Point Pedro and Tuticorin harbour. Tuticurin has the potential to transform itself into a nodal port. The Tamil Nadu Government has announced its proposal to develop 13 minor ports, including Ennore, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thondi, Valinokam, Kolachel and Kanyakumari.

Roman Catholic diocese

Christianity in Jaffna dates back as far as the time of St. Francis Xavier. In 1548 St. Francis visited Manaar and came to Jaffna to persuade the king to cease his persecutions against the Christians. In 1580, under the protection of the Portuguese, the first Catholic church was built at Jaffna. The whole peninsula having surrendered in 1591 to Andrea Furtado de Mendoza, almost the entire population embraced Christianity. When the fort of Jaffna capitulated to the Dutch in 1658 there were in the peninsula 50 priests, 1 Jesuit college, 1 Franciscan and 1 Dominican convent, and 14 churches. The Dutch immediately manifested the most hostile disposition towards the Catholics. The priests and monks were banished, and giving them shelter was declared a capital offence. From that time dates the long persecution which ended only with the surrender of Ceylon to the British in 1796. To this diocese belongs the Island of Manaar rendered famous by the apostolic labours of St. Francis Xavier and by the martyrdom of 600 to 700 Christians, executed by order of the King of Jaffna. Madhu, though a solitary spot in the middle of the jungle, has also its historical fame. For a long time during the Dutch persecution it was the refuge of native Christians. To this spot they had transported a statue of Our Lady which is enshrined in the new church. Madhu has developed into an important pilgrimage, where more than 40,000 pilgrims congregate every year for the feast of the Visitation.

In 1845 Ceylon was divided into the two vicariates of Colombo and Jaffna, with Bishop Orazio Bettachini as vicar Apostolic of the latter. In 1847 the Oblates of Mary Immaculate arrived in Ceylon. In 1857 the Jaffna vicariate was handed over to the Oblates, and on the death of Bishop Bettachini, Bishop Semeria, O.M.I., was appointed vicar Apostolic. In 1868 Bishop Christopher Bonjean, also O.M.I., succeeded Bishop Semeria. He had been in the missions for nine years in India and in 1856 had crossed over to Ceylon to join the Oblate Congregation. During his administration a great impulse was given to primary education. The effects of the Protestant and Hindu schools were more than counterbalanced by the activity of the bishop and the missionaries. Subsequently Bishop Bonjean was transferred to the metropolitan see of Colombo. Bishop Theophile Melirzan, O.M.I., succeeded him at Jaffna and, following in his footsteps, was named Archbishop of Colombo in 1893. In the same year Henri Joulain, Q.M.I., was appointed Bishop of Jaffna.

The entire population of the diocese in the early 20th century was 499,200; the Catholics numbering 45,500; the diocese was in the hands of the Oblates; 3 secular priests helping in the parochial ministry. The total number of missionaries was 46. Attached to the cathedral is St. Martin's seminary for the education of junior students aspiring to the priesthood. St. Patrick's college and boarding school is the most flourishing institution of the northern province. It has a staff of 6 European fathers, 1 native father, 2 brothers, and 15 native professors. The average number of students is 450. It is especially devoted to higher English education, and prepares its students for the Cambridge Junior and Senior examinations and for the London University Intermediate. Some years ago it was thought expedient to come into closer contact with non-Catholics and especially with the higher classes of Hindus. For this purpose a Hindu boarding school was attached to St. Patrick's college. The boarders number 100, with good prospects for the future. Jaffna convent, conducted by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux, follows the same junior and senior courses, for the education of girls, as St. Patrick's. To the convent is attached a girls' orphanage. The native Brothers of St. Joseph are occupied in teaching at Jaffna, Kayts, Manaar and Mullaitivu. The native Sisters of St. Peter conduct primary schools in all the important stations of the diocese. There are 127 schools under the control of the missionaries, for the vernacular and primary English education. At the two industrial schools of Colombogam and Mullaitivu 125 orphan boys are taught agriculture and useful trades. The diocese has conferences of St. Vincent de Paul and young men's associations for the working classes. St. Joseph's Catholic Press is the home of the Jaffna Catholic Guardian, a weekly paper devoted to the interests of the diocese. A Catholic Club has just been founded for the purpose of interests of the Catholic community.

Sources and external links

Cities and towns in Sri Lanka | Towns of Jaffna District

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