Jaffna, fast recovering from calamity

by Dhaneshi YATAWARA in Jaffna

Pipe laying in Galle Road water tower to be built at Gonapinuwala.

...Ready to dry the fish

It is now the spring time in Jaffna. The start of better times and a time for high growth, revival and new life! It is fast recovering like the phoenix that rose from the ashes.

In the war that existed for nearly thirty years Jaffna suffered most for being the birthplace of Prabhakaran's terrorism. For the people of the Northern peninsula, ahead of them lies only difficult tasks, not the impossible.

For over centuries Jaffna people were in the forefront in agriculture, business and industries.

Agriculture and businesses are regaining its past glory and prosperity. Day by day more lands get cultivated with typical Jaffna crops and farmers have a larger market to sell their produce.

Roads open

Chandradas, was ready to load 35 gunny bags of red onions as he told lorry owner. Farmers for over generations, Chandradas was happier than ever, having a better price for his red onion and tobacco harvest. He has already sold out his tobacco harvest. "Now the A-9 Road is open and many businessmen arrive here to buy our produce.

The selling prices are very much better than ever," he said when we met him in his land in Thirunelveli situated by the side of the A-9 Road. During the past decade farmers like Chandradas had to sell their produce at very low pontes.

"At worst times I had sold a kilogram of red onions for 10 - 15 rupees. Even that is not directly to the `mudalali'. But now we sell the red onions and tobacco directly and get cash on delivery," he added.

"We can feel the difference well. I'm sure with the passage of time our hopes and dreams will come true," Chandradas said with a strong belief of a brighter future for him and his family.

Chandradas was collecting his last harvest of red onions for the season with a few other helpers from the village with great plans for the next season starting in December.

"We get additional support specially from our Farmers' Societies. Especially many of our farmers are not in a position to buy a water pump so we have the system where five farmers share one water pump," he added.

Throughout they reaped a good harvest due to their untiring efforts and he grace of gods!. Jaffna farmers are experts in producing a rich harvest in all what they cultivate overcoming all obstacles.

A few miles away from Chandradas' two acre onion cum tobacco land - in Kuppilan lies the vineyard of owned by Kandaiah.

Spread across roughly over one and a half acre land Kandaiah runs his business with his son-in-law and a few other helpers from the village.

Obtaining a good harvest from grape cultivation is no easy task. It needs lot of patience, care and affection.

Reaping the grapes harvest

Crabs fetch big money to fishermen

... transported to Colombo

The vines need to be cropped on time, fungicides sprayed when necessary and reap the harvest at the right time - not too raw or not too ripe!. Lorry loads of grapes now reach Dambulla and Colombo markets whilst some of it is sold to the wine manufacturers in Jaffna.

Apart from red onions, tobacco and grapes, Jaffna is famous for its bombay onion, chillies, plantains, beetroot and carrot cultivations. A variety of vegetables such as brinjals, beans, long beans, tomatoes, `malu miris'(capsicum), bitter guard etc. are grown on this fertile soil rich in minerals.

Fishing is another `gold mine' for Jaffna. Gifted with a lagoon rich in fish Jaffna fishermen earn a substantial in come in fishing.

The catch includes different varieties of fish such as sheer fish, Parawa, mullet, prawns, shrimps, crabs, lobsters and sea cucumbers.

"The number of businessmen coming from Colombo is on the increase. This is the off season. Even now three cool trucks arrive here once a week and return with a full fish load," S. Kumar of the Gurunagar Fishing Development Society said.

"Season for this part of the land starts next month" Kumar added.

Calistus, 32 year old fisherman from the locality said the day before they collected nearly 5000 kilograms of fish. That is in the off season! Fishermen in the entire Jaffna district are capable of catching tons of fish. According to Kumar, nearly 3500 fishermen are registered in their society and daily around 2,000 go for fishing.

"Now we can sail anywhere we like and any distance," Calistus said. "I have been in this trade since I was 14 and now the luckiest period has arrived," Calistus added. "Best season for fishing is from October to December and now our fishermen can sail beyond Palaitivu Island, Kumar explained.

The full moon reduces the prawns catch and strong winds make it difficult for us to sail into deep sea," he said. "Otherwise we can now sail even up to Mannar," he added with a broad smile.

"As this is the off season we get a price of 380 - 400 rupees for cuttle fish and around 400 rupees for prawns. During the season more prawns are caught and price will come down to 200 rupees per kilogram," Calistus explained.

A dinghy boat can catch 250 - 300 kilograms of fish per day and during the period of the terrorist war we were able to catch only about 200 kilograms of fish," he added.

"With god's blessing now we are free to carry on our livelihood and earn a better income Calistus said expressing great relief.

The Government Stores at Navatkuli would have been never busy ever. "Now on a day we receive 40 - 60 lorries at this stores and more than half of it is loaded with Jaffna products.

A. Lawrence Rathnam, the Store Keeper said, on the day we visited nearly 90 lorries had come from Colombo.

"When the lorries reach this place Army personnel check and take them in. Then they unload the goods they brought and reload the lorries with Jaffna products.

The Army fully check the goods and seal the lorries which reach their destinations," without being stopped in between, he said.

Most of the outstation lorries are from Dambulla and Colombo. According to Rathnam at Nawatkuli red onions, dried chillies, grapes, plantains, beet root, tobacco, fresh fish and ever famous 'Kottakilangu' are loaded in to these empty trucks.

"Now that the road is open and we can easily bring goods to Jaffna and sell them at lower prices.

Now the process is very efficient and it is favourable to the business," said Wardharajah, a businessman, hailing from Nallur, who was at the stores loading plantains and red onions for his counterpart in Dambulla.

"I bring potatoes and certain varieties of vegetables to Jaffna from Dambulla and dispatch lorry loads of plantains, red onions, dry chilies back to Dambulla "Wardharajah said explaining his highly profitable business process.

Victory for people

"During LTTE atrocities the Jaffna people lived a difficult life. And now with total freedom it is high time we expedite the development for the betterment of the people," Northern Governor Maj. Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri said. "The people must now feel the difference," he added.

The local administration is trying to invest in more income generating ventures and thus they found tourism to be a profitable enterprise. "Jaffna peninsula is blessed with many gifts of nature.

At present we focus on developing Casuarina beach in Karainagar, once a famous location for the tourists," said Maj. Gen. Chandrasiri.

"Under the guidance of Chairman of the Northern Development Task Force, Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa M.P. many programs are being implemented in the entire peninsula to upgrade especially, agriculture and fisheries as an input to strengthen the economy," the Governor stated further.

"People will only be benefitted by the victory only if they can live in peace and harmony and enjoy their lives. That need to be assured," he added.