Information about Mannar District

Mannar District is located in northwestern Sri Lanka. It is one of five administrative districts of the Northern Province. The district covers 2,002 sq. km, approximately 3% of the total land area of Sri Lanka. Geographically the bulk of Mannar is on the mainland within the arid and dry zone. High temperatures and low rainfall characterize the climate. The monthly temperatures range between 26.5°C and 30.0°C with highs normally recorded between May and August. Mannar receives nearly 60% of its rainfall during the northeast monsoon, which lasts from October through December. The land area is relatively flat and sits at low elevations. Towards the interior the terrain is gently undulating, favoring the storage of rainwater in tanks that provide the majority of the irrigation for the district’s arable land. The primary economic activities in Mannar are crop cultivation (mainly paddy), fisheries and animal husbandry. Employment opportunities in the district are highly seasonal, and there are no institutional facilities for tertiary education.

The conflicts in Northern and Eastern region for lat 20 years have compelled the displacement and destruction of the large segment of the Mannar district. The war has destroyed the infrastructure and the displacement has left communities without maintenance and jungle has swallowed formerly populated areas.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on 22 February 2002 engendered a sense of peace in Sri Lanka not seen for decades. Countrywide people are enjoying renewed opportunities for personal, professional and communal growth. Whether living in Mannar District or elsewhere in the north and east, in southern and central districts of Sri Lanka or as refugees abroad, the ceasefire has also created opportunities for displaced populations to return to their places of origin.

The Government Agent’s (GA’s) office in Mannar estimated the population of the district in March 2003 as 97,101. This figure includes 5,276 displaced families (21,632 individuals) originally from other districts of the North and East. It excludes nearly 40,000 displaced persons living outside the region and an additional 30,000 refugees in camps in South India.

Present Locations of the Displaced from Mannar District

Source: Mannar Kachcheri (adopted from Resettlement Programme Mannar District) - 18th Feb 2005

Displaced and Resettled Persons in Mannar District as 31 March 2003*

Source: Mannar Kachcheri. (adopted from Resettlement Programme Mannar District) - 18th Feb 2005

*Included in this figure are 5,276 families (24,112 individuals) originally from other districts displaced to Mannar.

Prior to displacement from Mannar there were roughly 23,700 houses. A large number were damaged or destroyed during the conflict. Over 50% are completely destroyed, 66% of which belong to IDPs. Over 20% were partially damaged. Currently nearly 900 houses owned by IDPs are occupied by others, who for a variety of reasons are prevented from living in their own homes.

Source: Field Survey 2003. (Adopted from Resettlement Programme Mannar District)

Mannar is located in the driest region of the country. For a variety of reasons, many areas in the district suffer shortages of potable water. Along Mannar’s coasts, well water often is saline. Deep and expensive tube wells are necessary to reach fresh aquifers. Areas where displacement occurred suffer from disused wells. Throughout the district, 44% of individual wells and 57% of common wells need repair or reconstruction.

The education sector has been badly affected by the conflict. Though 90 of 111schools are functioning, many of the original structures are damaged or destroyed. The SLA also has occupied a number of schools preventing their use.

The total number of school-going children in Mannar is 25,783. The entire district is divided into two educational zones, Mannar and Madhu. In the Mannar Educational Zone, out of 70 schools 54 are functioning. In the Madhu Educational Zone, where displacement was most severe, out of 41 schools 30 are functioning in their original places with six schools displaced by the occupying security forces. The remaining five that are non-functional are Muslim schools initially damaged during the war. Due to 12 years of displacement, these schools have further deteriorated.

The total number of teaching positions for both zones is 1,303. However, currently there are only 799 positions filled, leaving 38% of teaching appointments vacant. The lack of teachers stems not from a dearth of qualified personnel but from insufficient funds for salaries and housing.

Agriculture is the mainstay of the population of the North and east. Ease of irrigation of paddy land plays a crucial role in its cultivation. Tank-irrigated agriculture declined sharply due to security problems, displacement, loss of agricultural equipment and machinery, and poor maintenance of tanks and water distribution systems.

Sri Lanka’s tanks system includes major, medium and minor tanks. Major tanks are those that feed 400 or more ha. Medium tanks feed less than 400 ha but more than 80 ha. Minor tanks are those that feed 80 ha or less. The “Giants Tank,” which actually is in three AGA/DS divisions and is administered by the Central Irrigation Department, feeds 162 minor tanks, 61 of which are in Manthai West. The tank irrigates over 11,000 ha of paddy land. At the end of the monsoon season, excess water can be stored in a tank upstream (Tekkam Anicut) and irrigate an additional 2,500 ha. Giants Tank directly benefits 2,560 farm families.

Akathimuripu is a major tank on the left bank of Aruvi Aru with a cultivated area of roughly 2,800 ha and an additional 225 ha irrigated by drainage water. Because local farmers were displaced completely in 1990, the tank and its structures have been abandoned. 1,840 farm families were dependent on this tank.

Viduyakulam is another major tank. It is located on the right bank of Motharagama Aru and provides irrigation to 560 ha through six minor tanks, plus another 91 ha by drainage water each Yala and Maha. There are seven medium tanks in the district. Five are in Manthai West and two are in Madhu. They irrigate 4,347 ha. There are 347 minor tanks in the district providing irrigation to 6,053 ha.

Agriculture is one of the key economic sectors in the district providing livelihoods for over 15,000 families, approximately 67% of the population. Out of a land area of 200,206 ha, the total cultivable land is 37,160 ha (19%). Over 65% is under forest cover. The pattern of agriculture practiced is dependent on climate and tradition. The average rainfall in the district is 960mm per year, the majority of which occurs during the northeast monsoon from October to March.

Source: Department of Agriculture – Administrative Report 2001 (Adopted from Resettlement Programme Mannar District)

Source: Statistical Handbook 2002 – Mannar District. (Adopted from Resettlement Programme Mannar District)

Fisheries:

Fishing is a major contributor to the local economy of Mannar District. It provides the principal source of livelihood for a large portion of the population, particularly in Mannar and Musali Divisions, where over 50% and nearly 40% of families respectively rely heavily on fishing activities. Over 8,700 families in 52 villages are involved in fishing.

The district has a marine coastline of 163 km, fresh water area of 4,867 ha and a brackish water area of 3,828 ha. The marine fishing area in the district stretches from Thavenpiddy to the north to Mullikulam in the east and Talaimannar to the south. In addition, although the majority of anchorage facilities are damaged or destroyed, there are 29 separate, small fishing harbours spread around the coastline.

Though the mainstays of the economy are agriculture and fishing, prior to the conflict the industrial sector was steadily expanding. One of the major industries in Mannar was, and still remains, salt production. Until 1989, the Mannar Saltern produced between 3,500 and 4,000 Mt of salt per year. Since then, however, its capacity has reduced dramatically to 1,251 Mt per year. Currently it supplies salt to fishing communities for dry fish production, to the ice factory at Pesalai, and to the Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (MPCSs) and private sector for consumption.

In the past, the state-run Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) maintained a rice mill at Nanattan available to all the rice farmers in Mannar. However, since the PMB ceased operations, the purchasing, storage and milling of paddy is controlled by millers in Vavuniya District.

Before the destruction of the railway network, clay (from Murunkan) was transported south to
Kankasanthurai Cement Factory. Clay is readily available in the district. Although Mannar District has a large fishing population, currently there is no local boat manufacturing. Currently there is an ice plant operating in Pesalai that, although functioning, produces below capacity due to age, damage and neglect.

Source: Statistical Handbook 2002 – Mannar District.( Adapted from Resettlement Programme Mannar District)