Kilinochchi District
Encyclopedia
Kilinochchi district is one of the 25 administrative districts
of Sri Lanka
. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary
(previously known as a Government Agent
) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka
. The headquarters is located in Kilinochchi town
. The district was carved out of the southern part of Jaffna district
in February 1984.
may have named both sides of the sea with the same name in his Greek map. Ramayana
refers to Mannar in epic terms. Adam's bridge connected Tamilnadu with Mannar district. According to an epic called "Ramayana", Rama built the temples of Ketheeswaram and Rameshwaram. India and Sri Lanka remained as one piece without separation during ice age.
It is part of Ancient Kingdoms of Sri Lanka. It was part of Naga rulers who ruled from Jaffna. Later it was part of Dweepa rajas who ruled Uttaradesa.
Elara
(235 BC - 161 BC), also known as Elalan, or Élaezha Chola, was a Tamil
king who ruled Sri Lanka
from 205 BC to 161 BC from the ancient capital of Anuradhapura
. By the 9th century, under Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola, the Cholas rose as a notable power in south Asia
. The Chola Empire stretched as far as Bengal
. At its peak, the empire spanned almost 250 million acres (1,011,715 km²). Rajaraja Chola conquered all of peninsular South India
and parts of the Sri Lanka
. Rajendra Chola's navies went even further, occupying coasts from Burma (now Myanmar
) to Vietnam
, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep
, Sumatra
, Java
, Malaya
in South East Asia and Pegu islands. He defeated Mahipala
, the king of the Bengal, and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital and named it Gangaikonda Cholapuram
.
(1215-1619 CE), also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka
came into existence after the invasion of Magha
. It eventually became a tribute paying feudatory of the Pandyan Empire in modern South India
in 1258, gaining independence later with the fragmentation of the Pandyan control. After the arrival of Colonial rulers such as Portuguese captured this region and then subsequently by Dutch and British.
Most of the district was under the control of LTTE up till October 2008. . The Pooneryn peninsula in the Northwest of the district was the venue for a large number of conflicts during the civil war (See Battle of Pooneryn
.) Sri Lankan Army 15 November 2008 re-captured Pooneryn
from LTTE. Two of the three most important Forward Defence Lines of the Civil War used to be situated in Kilinochchi district. The Nagarcoil FDL
separated Northeastern Kilinochchi from Southestern Jaffna. Muhamalai FDL
was situated near Elephant Pass, separating North Central Kilinochchi from South Central Jaffna. These two heavily fortified positions were the most important conflict locations in Northern Lanka. Present Positions Older position
By January 2, 2009, the SLA captured the Kilinochchi town and has control over a large part of the district. http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090102_05
in the Northern Province
. It has an area of 1279 square kilometres (493.8 sq mi).
, each headed by a Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent). The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 95 Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions (villages).
The population of the district, like the rest of the North
and East
, has been heavily affected by the civil war
. The war has killed an estimated 70,000 people. Several hundred thousand Sri Lankan Tamils, possibly as much as 400,000, have emigrated
to the West
since the start of the war. There are a further 800,000 internally displaced person
s in Sri Lanka, many of them living in refugee camps in the North
and East
and depending on aid provided by NGOs
. There are approximately 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees is India. Many Sri Lankan Tamils have also moved to the relative safety of Colombo
. The war has also caused most of the Sri Lankan Moors
and Sinhalese
who lived in the district to flee to other parts of Sri Lanka
.
1 Kilinochchi district was a part of Jaffna district
until February 1984.
Districts of Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, districts are the second-level administrative divisions, and are included in a province. There are 25 districts organized into 9 provinces. Each district is administered under a District Secretary, who is appointed by the central government...
of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary
Government Agent (Sri Lanka)
A Government Agent or a District Secretary is a Sri Lankan civil servant of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service appointed by the central government to govern a certain district of the country. The GA is the administrative head of public services in the District. As Sri Lanka has 25 districts,...
(previously known as a Government Agent
Government Agent (Sri Lanka)
A Government Agent or a District Secretary is a Sri Lankan civil servant of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service appointed by the central government to govern a certain district of the country. The GA is the administrative head of public services in the District. As Sri Lanka has 25 districts,...
) appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka
Politics of Sri Lanka
Politics of Sri Lanka takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Sri Lanka is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both...
. The headquarters is located in Kilinochchi town
Kilinochchi
Kilinochchi is a city in the Kilinochchi District, part of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Kilinochchi is situated at the A9 road some south-east of Jaffna...
. The district was carved out of the southern part of Jaffna district
Jaffna District
Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to...
in February 1984.
Early History
Kilinochchi has red-yellow latosol (soil rich in aluminum, silica, or iron that is commonly found in tropical forests). The soil and thus the river are of red colour. Tamira means red. Varni means colour in Tamil. Thus the name Vanni or Varni and it is a mutated name from Tamiravarni, Tambravarni, Tambapanni or Tammanna. Another river called Tamirabharani is located in Tuticorin area and there was a connection of land which kept both countries together during ancient times. The name Tamil is derived from Tamir. PtolemyPtolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
may have named both sides of the sea with the same name in his Greek map. Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
refers to Mannar in epic terms. Adam's bridge connected Tamilnadu with Mannar district. According to an epic called "Ramayana", Rama built the temples of Ketheeswaram and Rameshwaram. India and Sri Lanka remained as one piece without separation during ice age.
It is part of Ancient Kingdoms of Sri Lanka. It was part of Naga rulers who ruled from Jaffna. Later it was part of Dweepa rajas who ruled Uttaradesa.
Elara
Elara
Elara may refer to one of the following:*Elara , a moon of Jupiter*Elara , the mother of Tityas in Greek mythology*Elara , an ancient Sri Lankan king...
(235 BC - 161 BC), also known as Elalan, or Élaezha Chola, was a Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
king who ruled Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
from 205 BC to 161 BC from the ancient capital of Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, , is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic...
. By the 9th century, under Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola, the Cholas rose as a notable power in south Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The Chola Empire stretched as far as Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
. At its peak, the empire spanned almost 250 million acres (1,011,715 km²). Rajaraja Chola conquered all of peninsular South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
and parts of the Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. Rajendra Chola's navies went even further, occupying coasts from Burma (now Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
) to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep
Lakshadweep , formerly known as the Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands, is a group of islands in the Laccadive Sea, 200 to 440 km off the coast of the South West Indian state of Kerala...
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
, Malaya
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...
in South East Asia and Pegu islands. He defeated Mahipala
Mahipala
Mahipala I is considered the second founder of the Pala dynasty. Gopala I established the dynastic rule of the Palas in the middle of the 8th century CE. The Pala Dynasty ruled Bengal and Bihar for about four centuries from the middle of the 8th century CE...
, the king of the Bengal, and to commemorate his victory he built a new capital and named it Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gangaikonda Cholapuram was erected as the capital of the Cholas by Rajendra Chola I, the son and successor of Rajaraja Chola, the great Chola who conquered a large area in South India at the beginning of the 11th century C.E. It occupies an important place in the history of India. As the capital...
.
Medieval History
It was part of the Jaffna kingdomJaffna Kingdom
The Jaffna kingdom , also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka was a historic monarchy that came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna peninsula after the invasion of Magha, who is said to have been from Kalinga, in India...
(1215-1619 CE), also known as Kingdom of Aryacakravarti, of modern northern Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
came into existence after the invasion of Magha
Kalinga Magha
Magha , also known as Kalinga Magha and Magha the Tyrant, is a medieval king of Sri Lanka who is remembered primarily for his tyrannical and oppressive rule. Magha invaded the country from Kalinga in eastern India, usurping the throne from Parakrama Pandya, in 1215...
. It eventually became a tribute paying feudatory of the Pandyan Empire in modern South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
in 1258, gaining independence later with the fragmentation of the Pandyan control. After the arrival of Colonial rulers such as Portuguese captured this region and then subsequently by Dutch and British.
Modern history
The area was colonized in 1936 by Sri Lankan Tamils as part of a scheme that sought to ease overpopulation and unemployment in Jaffna..Most of the district was under the control of LTTE up till October 2008. . The Pooneryn peninsula in the Northwest of the district was the venue for a large number of conflicts during the civil war (See Battle of Pooneryn
Battle of Pooneryn
The Battle of Pooneryn was a battle fought on November 11, 1993 for the town of Pooneryn.-Background:The main target of the LTTE in the shorline offensive was the Sri Lankan government naval base at Pooneryn...
.) Sri Lankan Army 15 November 2008 re-captured Pooneryn
Pooneryn
Pooneryn is a strategically important village in the northern province of Sri Lanka situated just below the Jaffna Peninsula. Built in the Pooneryn area of north portion of the island first by the Portuguese to protect its possessions in Jaffna, it was expanded by the Dutch till in 1770 it was...
from LTTE. Two of the three most important Forward Defence Lines of the Civil War used to be situated in Kilinochchi district. The Nagarcoil FDL
Nagarcoil Forward Defence Line
The Nagarcoil Forward Defence Line was an Army Defence Line that separated Sri Lankan Army and LTTE militia in Northeastern Kilinochchi - Southestern Jaffna border. The unique topography of the area was believed to make it almost impossible for either of the two sides to push for a military...
separated Northeastern Kilinochchi from Southestern Jaffna. Muhamalai FDL
Muhamalai Forward Defence Line
The Muhamalai Forward Defence Line was the Army Defence Line separating the Sri Lankan Army and LTTE militia in North Central Kilinochchi from South Central Jaffna. The distance between the first line of defences ranges from 200 to 600 meters...
was situated near Elephant Pass, separating North Central Kilinochchi from South Central Jaffna. These two heavily fortified positions were the most important conflict locations in Northern Lanka. Present Positions Older position
By January 2, 2009, the SLA captured the Kilinochchi town and has control over a large part of the district. http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090102_05
Geography
Kilinochchi district is located in the north of Sri LankaSri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
in the Northern Province
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
. It has an area of 1279 square kilometres (493.8 sq mi).
Administrative units
Kilinochchi district is divided into 4 Divisional Secretary's (DS) DivisionsDivisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka
The districts of the Sri Lanka are divided into administrative sub-units known as divisional secretariats. These were originally based on the feudal counties, the korales and ratas. They were formerly known as 'D.R.O. Divisions' after the 'Divisional Revenue Officer'. Later the D.R.O.s became...
, each headed by a Divisional Secretary (previously known as an Assistant Government Agent). The DS Divisions are further sub-divided into 95 Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions (villages).
| DS Division Divisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka The districts of the Sri Lanka are divided into administrative sub-units known as divisional secretariats. These were originally based on the feudal counties, the korales and ratas. They were formerly known as 'D.R.O. Divisions' after the 'Divisional Revenue Officer'. Later the D.R.O.s became... |
Main Town | GN Divisions |
Area (km2) |
Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kandavalai Kandavalai Divisional Secretariat Kandavalai Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Kilinochchi District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Kandavalai | 16 | 209.70 | 58,286 |
| Karachchi Karachchi Divisional Secretariat Karachchi Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Kilinochchi District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Kilinochchi Kilinochchi Kilinochchi is a city in the Kilinochchi District, part of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Kilinochchi is situated at the A9 road some south-east of Jaffna... |
42 | 410.96 | 100,700 |
| Pachchilaipalli Pachchilaipalli Divisional Secretariat Pachchilaipalli Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Kilinochchi District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Pallai | 18 | 167.70 | 7,602 |
| Poonakary Poonakary Divisional Secretariat Poonakary Divisional Secretariat is a Divisional Secretariat of Kilinochchi District, of Northern Province, Sri Lanka.-References:*... |
Poonakary Pooneryn Pooneryn is a strategically important village in the northern province of Sri Lanka situated just below the Jaffna Peninsula. Built in the Pooneryn area of north portion of the island first by the Portuguese to protect its possessions in Jaffna, it was expanded by the Dutch till in 1770 it was... |
19 | 448.75 | 29,224 |
| Total | 95 | 1,237.11 | 195,812 | |
Population
Kilinochchi district's population was 195,812 in 2007. The population of the district is almost exclusively Sri Lankan Tamil.The population of the district, like the rest of the North
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and East
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
, has been heavily affected by the civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
. The war has killed an estimated 70,000 people. Several hundred thousand Sri Lankan Tamils, possibly as much as 400,000, have emigrated
Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora
The Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora refers to the global diaspora of the people of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. It can be said to be a subset of the larger Sri Lankan as well as Tamil diaspora....
to the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
since the start of the war. There are a further 800,000 internally displaced person
Internally displaced person
An internally displaced person is someone who is forced to flee his or her home but who remains within his or her country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the current legal definition of a refugee. At the end of 2006 it was estimated there were...
s in Sri Lanka, many of them living in refugee camps in the North
Northern Province, Sri Lanka
The Northern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but did not have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and East
Eastern Province, Sri Lanka
The Eastern Province is one of the 9 provinces of Sri Lanka. The provinces have existed since the 19th century but they didn't have any legal status until 1987 when the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka established provincial councils. Between 1988 and 2006 the province was...
and depending on aid provided by NGOs
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
. There are approximately 100,000 Sri Lankan refugees is India. Many Sri Lankan Tamils have also moved to the relative safety of Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. The war has also caused most of the Sri Lankan Moors
Sri Lankan Moors
The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries...
and Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
who lived in the district to flee to other parts of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
Ethnicity
Population of Kilinochchi District by ethnic group 1981 to 2007| Year | Sri Lankan Tamil | Sri Lankan Moors Sri Lankan Moors The Sri Lankan Moors are the third largest ethnic group in Sri Lanka comprising 8% of the country's total population . They are predominantly followers of Islam. The Moors trace their ancestry to Arab traders who settled in Sri Lanka some time between the 8th and 15th centuries... |
Sinhalese Sinhalese people The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the... |
Others | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1981 Census1 | 89,197 | 97.33% | 1,567 | 1.71% | 741 | 0.81% | 136 | 0.15% | 91,641 | 100.00% |
| 2007 Estimate | 195,386 | 99.78% | 424 | 0.22% | 2 | 0.00% | 0 | 0.00% | 195,812 | 100.00% |
| Source: | ||||||||||
1 Kilinochchi district was a part of Jaffna district
Jaffna District
Jaffna district is one of the 25 administrative districts of Sri Lanka. The district is administered by a District Secretariat headed by a District Secretary appointed by the central government of Sri Lanka. The headquarters is located in Jaffna city. Parts of the district were transferred to...
until February 1984.
Local government
Kilinochchi district has three local authorities all of which are Pradeshya Sabhas.| Local Authority | Elected Members |
Area (km2) |
Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karachchi Pradeshya Sabha | 0 | 240.57 | 161,997 |
| Pachchilaipalli Pradeshya Sabha | 0 | 167.09 | 12,405 |
| Poonakary Pradeshya Sabha | 0 | 448.75 | 27,455 |
| Source: | |||