Kayts

Kayts, also known as "Layden" in Dutch, is a small island off the coast of minority Sri Lankan Tamil dominated Jaffna Peninsula in the North of Sri Lanka. It is also sometimes referred to as "Velanai". Kayts is also the name of an important village within the Island. There are number of other villages within the island such as Allaipiddy, Naranthanai and Karampon.

It is divided into 9 wards and each ward represented by a councilor in the local municipal council. The majority of the people are Hindus along with a minority of Muslims and Christians. There are number of Hindu Temples along with a Church and a Mosque. The island is also served by a dozen schools. Waithilingham Duraiswamy a well known member of parliament during the British colonial period and his son Yogendra Duraiswamy a Hindu activist and well known diplomat were born in Kayts.

Since 1983 Kayts Island has also been the scene of violence as part of the ongoing Sri Lankan civil war including the Allaipiddy massacre [ [http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/CI29Df03.html Asia Times: Chapter 8: Pan Sinhalese board of ministers - A Sinhalese ploy : Cheap Car Rentals and Cheap Airline Tickets ] ] [ [http://www.uthr.org/SpecialReports/spreport2.htm Special Report No.2 ] ]

References

External links

* [http://velanai.com/ Velanai community portal]
* [http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/srilanka/catalogue/Files/Map%20Centre/Geographic%20Maps/Administrative%20Maps/LK00956_Admin_Jaffna_Velanai_3.pdf Map of Velanai]
* [http://books.google.lk/books?id=MrBi0ghiZN0C&pg=PA144&lpg=PA144&dq=Kayts+Islands&source=web&ots=-Q_M0bza7C&sig=kIkCqhAo3ubK4Sp4tas7jhrYRdg&hl=en A Visit to Indian Ocean's Kayts Islands]