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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, until recent times. Jaffna boasts a written history dating back to circa 4th centry BC. It is known as Yāpapatuna in Sinhala in old 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.

Jaffna Harbour

The pending Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project may 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.

Media

The first newspaper in Jaffna, Uthayatharakai (Morning Star) was published in 1841 by C.W. Thamotharampillai [1] Today it has number of newspapers including Eelamurasu and Uthayan.

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 district based quota system introduced in 1970s as well as the effects of the civil war. However, in 1974 the government opened the University of Jaffna which is de facto reserved for students from the region, while they have a quota based access to the other Sri Lankan universities as well.

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. Today most students are locals.

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 under control of the LTTE. Due to ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, as well as ethnic clensing by the LTTE, 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 ^{[citation needed]}. 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. However, it is under the control of the government of Sri Lanka.

The Jaffna Public library was burnt down in June 1981, but was renovated in 2003 by the government of Sri Lanka. [2]

Mass exodus

Many of the Tamils from this region have moved out to other parts of the island or to foreign countries. This exodus of Tamils from Jaffna has occurred for a number of reasons.

The entire Muslim and Sinhalese population of Jaffna was forced to leave within 48 hours in 1990 due to an ethnic clensing order by the LTTE. During this forced exodus, they were not allowed to take any of their belonging with them. LTTE had even removed the jewellery from the women that they were wearing at the time.^{[citation needed]}

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

The early history of Jaffna has been detailed by Professor Karthgesu Indrapalan in a Ph. D thesis (1963) available from the University of London. His studies establish that a significant permanentTamil presence came into being only after the 12th century, when the Sinhala kings moved to the south. In the 13th Century, Jaffna was established by Arya Chakaravarthi [3], 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.

The Kingdom had quasi-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. After lasting for over 400 years, it finally lost its independence to the Portuguese in 1621. The historian de Queroz records that the Vanni rulers paid tribute to the Sinhala kings of Kandy. With the Portuguese power, the only indigenous political entity that was not Sinhalese and Buddhist in character came to an end.

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

Christian missionary activity

Jaffna also has played an important role in the Roman Catholic religious administration of Sri Lanka. It also plays an important role in the administration of the Church of South India in Sri Lanka, a group of Protestant denominations. Some notable missionaries are

Eliza Agnew, Presbyterian missionary from New York City^[1]

References

^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Marquis Who's Who. 1967.

@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 Many of the [[Tamil people|Tamils]] from this region have moved out to other parts of the island or to foreign countries.  This exodus of Tamils from Jaffna has occurred for a number of reasons.
+The entire [[Muslim]] and [[Sinhalese]] population of Jaffna was forced to leave within 48 hours in 1990 due to an ''ethnic clensing'' order by the LTTE. During this forced exodus, they were not allowed to take any of their belonging with them. LTTE had even removed the jewellery from the women that they were wearing at the time.{{citation needed}}
 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.