Background

Ampara District has undergone more than two decades of conflict, with internal displacement, damages to homes and infrastructure, loss of livelihoods, and high numbers of single-headed households already being major concerns prior to the tsunami. For example, prior to the tsunami in 2004, there were 2,337 women who lost their husbands through various disturbances. The tsunami has greatly exacerbated these problems.

Effects of the Tsunami

The tsunami of Sunday, December 26th, 2004, was caused by an earthquake in the region north of Sumatra, Indonesia, in the Indian Ocean and measured 9.0 on the Richter scale. The quake occurred at 6:58 am (Sri Lanka time) and the tidal waves reached the east coast of Sri Lanka at 8:57am. As Ampara District is a predominantly coastal region, it was severely damaged, with great loss of life. Eleven out of twenty divisions were affected, with the following impacts:

• Affected persons: 193,000
• Affected families: 38,000
• Deaths: 10,436
• Total estimated damages: $565.7 million

Geography

Ampara District is a 4,431 sq. km. region located in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. This predominantly low-lying coastal region is characterized by its sandy beaches and lagoons, and is in the country's dry zone. Primary land use is as follows:

A detailed map of Ampara District divisions, towns, roads, and more is available from Humanitarian Info here. Ampara District's postal district code is BC.

People

Ampara District's population of 629,664 is about 81% rural and fairly evenly distributed by sex (50.36% male - 49.64% female). The population density in the district is about 142 people per square mile, but coastal areas in the north are very densely populated, with over 1,501 people per square mile in the Kalmunai area. The literacy rate is around 76% and the percentage of population by age group is as follows:

• under 10 - 19.60%
• 10-24 - 37.12%
• 25-44 - 22.92%
• 45-64 - 14.45%
• over 64 - 5.91%

Ampara District is multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multicultural in nature. In addition to the large numbers of Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, and Muslims, there are also Burghers, Malays, Indian Tamils, Chetties, and Bharathas. The religious groups in the area are shown below.

Source: District Planning Secretariat - Ampara (2004)

Community Based Organisations

Community based organizations are playing a major role in the rebuilding process. The following is a partial list of Sri Lankan NGOs and community based organizations:

• Action Centre for Orphans & Widows of Tsunami Disaster
• Affected Women's Forum (AWF)
• Akkaraipattu Women's Association (AWA)
• Al - Ameen Community Development Centre (Al - Ameen)
• Al-Quraish Social Development Society
• Ampara District NGO’s Council / Consortium (ADNC)
• Bar Association
• Caritas - Eastern Human Economic Development Centre (Caritas - EHED)
• Center for Social Assessment (CSA)
• Centre for Human Development (CFHD)
• Centre for Peace Studies (CPS)
• Child Vision (CV)
• Community Trust Fund (CTF)
• Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA)
• ERRO Sri Lanka (ERRO)
• Foundation For Coexistence (FCE)
• Foundation of Rural Economic Development (FORED)
• Green Movement of Sri Lanka (GMSL)
• Health Education Social and Sports Organization (HESSO)
• Human Help Network (HHN)
• Humanitarian Brotherhood Foundation (HBF)
• ICC Kalmunai
• Kalam Rural Reconstruction Foundation (KALAM)
• Lanka Evangelical Alliance Development Service (LEADS)
• Mahashakthi Foundation (MF)
• Marumalarachi Social Evaluation Organization
• Mother and Child Social Welfare Organization (MCSWO)
• Muslim Women's Research and Action Forum (MWRAF)
• National Ethnic Unit Foundation (NEUF)
• People's Progressive Development Society (PPDS)
• Planning and Development Secretariat - LTTE (PDS)
• Rural Development Foundation (RDF)
• Rural Industries and Enterprises Development Organisation (RIEDO)
• Sarvodaya
• Sarvodaya Economic Enterprise Development Services (SEEDS)
• Seeds Foundation
• Seerpathathevi Children's Home (SEERPATHA)
• SEVO
• Sewa Lanka Foundation (SLF)
• Shade
• Social Economic and Environmental Development Organization (SEEDO)
• Social Organisation Networking for Development (SOND)
• Social Renaissance Council (SRC)
• Social Welfare Economic & Industrial Development Organization (SWEIDO)
• Social Welfare Organization (SWO)
• Social Welfare Organization for Ampara District (SWOAD)
• Social Welfare Society Akkaraipattu (SOWSA)
• Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRCS)
• Swami Vipulananda Children Home (SVICH)
• Tamil's Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO)
• True Vision Rural Rehabilitation Organisation (True Vision)
• Women Development Centre (Janashakthi Bank)
• Women's Development Centre (WDC)
• Women's Development Foundation (WDF)
• Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)
• Youth Assembly of Sri Lanka (YASIL)
• Youth Club
• Zam Zam Fisher Fisherman's TCCS

Government

The government is providing psycho-social and economic services for the reconstruction of the District. The following Sri Lankan government bodies are involved in the reconstruction of Ampara District:

• Agrarian Development Department - North East Province (DOAD)
• Capacity Development for Recovery Program (CADREP)
• Central Environmental Authority (CEA)
• Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
• Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB)
• Department of Commissioners Land
• Department of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources - North East Province
• Deputy Provincial Director of Health Service (DPDHS)
• District Secretariat
• Divisional Secretaries - Ampara (DS)
• Government Agents (GA)
• Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL)
• International Labour Organization - Income Recovery Technical Assistance Program (IRTAP) (ILO)
• Land District Registrar
• National Housing Development Authority (NHDA)
• National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB)
• North East Community Restoration Development Project (NECORD)
• North East Housing Reconstruction Unit (NEHRU)
• North East Irrigated Agriculture Project (NEIAP)
• Planning Department - Ampara
• Probation and Child Care Development
• Road Development Authority (RDA)
• Road Development Department
• Transitional Accommodation Project (TAP)
• Urban Development Authority (UDA)
• Zonal Director for Education (ZDE)

Economy

Ampara District's economy is based mainly on Fisheries, Agriculture/Livestock, and Tourism. Other industries include:

• Bricks
• Carpentry
• Coir
• Handlooms
• Mat weaving
• Sugar
• Tiles

65% of the Ampara District population lives below the poverty line.

Ampara District