Sri Lanka Department of Archeology to reserve Jaffna Fort

(October 31, 2009) Sri Lanka Department of Archeology is to launch a project to renovate the Jaffna Dutch Fort located in Jaffna peninsula in the northern tip of the island.

The wall of the Jaffna fortress is now being cleared of the trees grown on it with the help of the Army. However, the Director General of the Archeological Department Dr. Senarath Disanayaka said that although the wall is repairable, the ancient Dutch church building inside the fort is beyond repair.

The cost for the reservation project is estimated at Rs. 400 million. Government of Netherlands provide assistance for the project.

Jaffna Fort was built as a small garrison by the Portuguese in 1618 under Philip De Olivera when the Portuguese invaded Jaffna. Later, on 20th June 1658 the Dutch captured it under Raiclop Van Goins from the Portuguese and expanded its location further. Tamil rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) forced the Sri Lanka Army to withdraw from the fort in 1986 and captured it. Sri Lanka Army in 1996 recaptured the entire Fort surroundings under Riviresa operation and brought it under them.