Golden era dawns on Kilinochchi When I am not thanked at all, I am thanked enough I have done my duty and I have done no more. - Henry Fielding - Tom Thumb the Great On January 2, 2009, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, announced the capture of Kilinochchi and called for the LTTE to lay down arms and surrender, stating that this would be the final message to the LTTE. In his speech, he stated that: What our heroic troops have achieved is not only the capture of the great fortress of the LTTE, but a major victory in the worlds battle against terrorism. The Island editorial described the capture of Kilinochchi as a blow to global terror and that it has sent a strong message that the civilised world is capable of eliminating the scourge of terrorism. The population in Jaffna celebrated the capture by raising the national flag with anti-LTTE slogans and demonstrations. Following the capture of Kilinochchi by the SLA, the Colombo Stock Exchange recorded a rise of around 5 per cent on the news and the Sri Lankan rupee became steady. A few hours after the President of Sri Lanka declared the victory, a suicide bombing was carried out outside the Air Force headquarters in Colombo, in which two air force police officers and a member of the bomb-disposal unit were killed and 30 people wounded. Soon after the capture of Kilinochchi, the government decided to ban the LTTE. The Battle of Kilinochchi The ban was put into effect from midnight, January 7, 2009, for using civilians as human shields in uncleared areas and endangering their lives, despite requests by the government to release them. The military continued its advance into LTTE held territory and captured the key LTTE position at Pallai within a few days. Soon afterward on January 9, 2009, the SLA captured the strategically important Elephant Pass area, which links the Jaffna Peninsula with the mainland. The SLA is continued its offensive with the objective of capturing Mullaitivu, the only remaining major stronghold of the LTTE. Mullaitivu was also captured on January 25, 2009. The LTTE first took hold of the town in 1990 when the Army withdrew its garrisons from Kilinochchi. Then the area was retaken by the Army during operations Sathjaya I, II, and III in September 1996. The town again fell into the LTTEs hand in September 1998 who held their administrative hub there until evacuating during the Battle of Kilinochchi on January 2, 2009. Several institutions of the LTTE had been relocated from Kilinochchi to Tharmapuram, a town about 13 km in the east, by early October, 2008. The Battle of Kilinochchi was a land battle fought between the Sri Lankan Military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) for the control of the town of Kilinochchi in the Northern Theatre of Eelam War IV during the Sri Lankan civil war between November 2008 and January 2009. The town of Kilinochchi was the administrative centre and de facto capital of the LTTEs proposed state of Tamil Eelam. After 2002, the LTTE used Kilinochchi as the administrative hub of the area under its control. The LTTE established a Police force, named Tamil Eelam Police Force, Peace Secretariat and Bank in areas under its control and Kilinochchi housed the headquarters for these entities. The Tigers also established and implemented a Judicial system which consisted of district courts, high courts and supreme court as well as a court of appeal. The supreme court was also located in Kilinochchi. LTTE started to withdraw its personnel from Kilinochchi with the fall of Paranthan on December 31, 2008, as divisions of the Sri Lanka Army began surrounding the town. On January 2, 2009, the Sri Lanka Army entered the town of Kilinochchi. Between 5th century BC and 13th century AD present day Kilinochchi District was part of Rajarata. The district then came under Portuguese, Dutch and British control. In 1815 the British gained control of the entire island of Ceylon. They divided the island into three ethnic based administrative structures: Low Country Sinhalese, Kandyan Sinhalese and Tamil. The district, which was then part of Jaffna District, was part of the Tamil administration. Administrative structures In 1833, in accordance with the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission, the ethnic based administrative structures were unified into a single administration divided into five geographic provinces. Jaffna District, together with Mannar District and Vanni District, formed the new Northern Province. The district was colonised in 1936 by residents from Jaffna Peninsula as part of a scheme that sought to ease overpopulation and unemployment. At the time that Ceylon gained independence, Jaffna was one of the three districts located in the Northern Province. Parts of Jaffna District were transferred to newly created Mullaitivu District in September 1978. Kilinochchi District was carved out of the southern part of Jaffna District in February 1984. Kilinochchi is the main town of Kilinochchi District, Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Kilinochchi is situated at the A9 road some 100 km (62 mi) south-east of Jaffna. It was the administrative centre and de facto capital of the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) until January 2, 2009, when troops of the Sri Lankan Army recaptured the city. Today, Kilinochchi, a modern city risen from its ashes. Agriculture has become the main livelihood of people in Kilinochchi which has risen from the ashes of war. About 45,000 families live in Kilinochchi and 26,000 families depend on agriculture. It is fast becoming a modern city and the people in the North could be proud of its development and about the status it is gaining as one of the best cities in the country. This was stated by the Commander of the Security Forces in Kilinochchi Major General Udaya Perera addressing the media at the Media Centre for National Security. Now the town offers amenities like the Spice Garden Inn, with glass-walled cafeteria and reception desk overflowing with coconut flowers and bougainvillea. He said although there is no difference between Colombo and Kilinochchi today, the people living in Kilinochchi are a lot happier than the people in Colombo as their lives are so simple. Speaking further the Major General said that the terrorists used Kilinochchi as a hub because of its geographical location, and the entire population was displaced due to the war and all have been resettled. He added that all government institutions and Security Forces are jointly engaged in the development of Kilinochchi. Kilinochchi is still part of Jaffna electoral division and it was separated from the Jaffna district in the 80s as a new district. Most of the people living in this district are farmers and related to agricultural work. Most of the people in this district were migrated from Jaffna to acquire government grants (Land) and to engage in the paddy cultivation. People from this district were then migrated overseas (Europe, US, Canada, Australia etc.) during the civil war 1990 onwards. The population is now rising again after the end of the conflict. This district has several Government Colleges such as Klinochchi Central college, Hindu College, Uruthirapuram Maha Vidiyalayam, Vaddakachchi Maha Vidiyalayam, etc. Development projects The Kilinochchi town was established in 1936 as part of a colonization project that sought to ease overpopulation and unemployment in Jaffna. Most people living in Kilinochchi are Sri Lankan Tamils. Kilinochchi is one of the major agrarian cultivation destinations in the island from the pre-historic times. Iranamadu (Ranamaduva) Tank, Kanakampikai Kulam (Pond), and Kilinochchi Kulam are the major irrigation source for paddy and various other cultivations. Kilinochchi town, one time LTTEs main administrative town, and its infrastructure facilities were completely destroyed by the LTTE when troops liberated the area in the final phase of the battle against terrorists. The government has launched multi directional development projects including water supply, infrastructure development for education, infrastructure development for sports and entertainment, assisting and promoting trade and commerce, BOI projects, irrigation projects, fisheries industry projects, electricity supply projects, telecommunication, housing, and development of road projects. The A-9, A -32, A-34, A-35, B-269, and B-357 road networks spanning 176 kms at an estimated cost of Rs. 15,096 million is currently underway, while the interior road networks too are being constructed in many areas. In order to facilitate the resettlement process and provide better facilities for the resettled families in the Killinochchi district alone the government had spent Rs. 70,445.96 million for education, rail and road development, irrigation, housing and sanitary projects, electricity health services, postal and economic development projects. 42,580 families have already been resettled with the assistance of the government and several INGO and NGOs. The security forces in Kilinochchi have assisted in the resettlement of 22,023 persons in Poonakary, 65,723 persons in Karachchi, 23,366 persons in Kandavalai, 3,978 persons in Puthukudi Iruppu, 1874 persons in Manthai west, 9,742 persons in Thunnukai, 5,285persons in Oddusudan and 3,614 persons in Manthai east. After more than 23 years, direct train services between Colombo and Kilinochchi was inaugurated with the opening of the newly completed 63-kilometre track between Omanthai and Kilinochchi. Railway transport occupies a significant role in the transport system of a country because the development of trade, industry and commerce of a country largely depend on the development of railways. Yal Devi express train President Mahinda Rajapaksa launched the train service to Kilinochchi and he declared open the newly built Kilinochchi Railway Station. The reconstructed railway track is designed with a speed potential of 120kmph. The last passenger train on this line ran on January 19, 1985. LTTE terrorists bombed the Yal Devi train at Kokavil on that day killing 34 people and destroying the train tracks. The attack effectively ended the north-south rail transport. The Northern Line from Vavuniya to Kankasanthurai was completely destroyed by the Tiger terrorists during the three-decade long conflict. The terrorists uprooted the rail tracks to build reinforced underground bunkers. The construction of the whole Northern Line up to Kankasanthurai would be completed by the end of 2014 and all the previous railway stations which were destroyed during the conflict are to be reestablished. The re-construction of the northern railway line and the return of the Yal Devi express train to Kilinochchi will not only see the resumption of the normal train services to the North after 20 years, but, will also symbolize the liberation of the northern people from LTTE terrorism and return of democracy to the North. The end to three decades of terrorism has brought new hope to Sri Lanka with development activities speedily underway. Sri Lanka is now on an ambitious path not thought possible a few years ago when terrorism was at its height. Soon all Sri Lankans will have equal benefit from the many development activities that the government has now committed itself to. A golden era has undoubtedly dawned on the town of Kilinochchi previously devastated by the ruthless terrorists. Thus President Rajapaksa with our heroic security forces can say as Henery Fielding said When I am not thanked at all, I am thanked enough; I have done my duty by my people and I have done no more. defence.lk/new.asp?fname=Golden_era_dawns_on_Kilinochchi_20140805_02
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 05:37:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015