Culture Clash : Jaffna-s public Library /* Sri Lanka */

This was not only a blow to the Tamil people and the Tamil intellectuals. This was a blow to the whole country.

As Dateline has reported here in recent weeks, the end looks to be in sight for one of the world's longest-running conflicts - the 25-year war between the Sri Lankan Government and the Tamil Tigers. After months of heavy fighting, Tiger remnants are currently trapped in a tiny corner of the country along with tens of thousands of civilians. When the history of that brutal conflict is eventually written, oddly it may turn out that the destruction of a Tamil library almost 30 years ago was one of a number of incidents that sparked a conflict that's raged on until today. Here's Amos Roberts.




REPORTER: Amos Roberts


Every building and every monument in Jaffna has been scarred by battle - None more than the town's public library. Although the physical damage has now been repaired, what happened to this beautiful building nearly 30 years ago helped spark Sri Lanka's civil war. Locals treat the library with reverence, almost as though it was some kind of temple - visitors are required to remove their shoes before entering. This is one of the library's oldest users. Sabaratnam started borrowing books from Jaffna's first public library almost 60 years ago - His membership number - 471.

This week Dateline invites you inside Jaffna's public library, a building with a tortured history that echoes Sri Lanka's long civil conflict.

The library was once one of the largest in Asia and a source of enormous pride for the Tamil community.

But the building was torched in 1981, during riots following the shooting of three Sinhalese police at a Tamil political rally. As result, almost 100,000 books were destroyed, including irreplaceable manuscripts written on palm leaves. A treasure trove of Tamil culture and history was lost forever.

Almost 20 years later, the library was fully rebuilt by the government.

However the restoration itself is generating controversy. Many local Tamils feel it is an attempt to whitewash the past, and believe the ruins should have remained as a permanent memorial.

Link : http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/about/id/600042/n/Culture-Clash

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[sahanz]

Hey My fellow Sinhalese, We did a terrible thing by burning down this library.

I don't know why this so hard for some Sihalese people to just simply say " Sorry for our fellow Tamil brothers and show them now , we have to work together and move on.

If we treat them better ,we don't have to worry about future LTTTE or people like Praba will come back.

JUST FORGET ABOUT THE MISERABLE PAST AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE FUTURE.

[14tamils]

thanks a lot ur docu,LTTE never burn that. LTTE ARE TAMILS tamil people respect there own books so how they burn that dont' think like stupid. all tamils never forget this this is painful our old libray.

thanks mr

federalidea

[va12io]

removing education through English by Sinhala only act/Standardization/burning Jaffna library all are reflections of ethnic discrimination and cultural genocide before rise of LTTE.One of the root causes of war still deep inside without any solution.Tamil community felt insecure about their future of culture and people.that resulted in War and LTTE.The result is destroyed,but the root is still alive.Until Sinhalese realize this and find a solution for this conflict,this will be remembered.

[NoEalamInSL]

Burning down of two libraries in Sri Lanka - Egypt. When Jaffna (Sri Lanka) Library was burned by angry people for killing of three policemen it was called as a cultural genocide by West. When library in Egypt was burned down angry people for killing people it was called as an act of democratic revolution (Egypt's oldest library L'Institute d’Egypte estb in August 1798 by Napoleon Bonaparte and had over 200,000 books dated for over 200 years) .

[anushalechat2046]

This is very painful memory! But we have to move on.

[lalithtissera]

British colonialism has done a lot of sins in the planet.

Be analytical Srilankans.

[lalithtissera]

Terrorism cause this kind of inhuman activities. India bombed the Golden temple.

It is similar to this unfortunate incedent.

British have done worse.

U,S invasion of Bagdad did worse.

BBC reporters talk trash.

They the Brits a lot of harm to humanity.

[tharindu1984]

Hey frens..

see..none of us burnt our library..none of us burnt our Cetral Bank..

they have gone its their deal..now its over..

dnt try to make same thing happen again..coz this time it wud be more painful

[arunimv]

you guys have to start ur history from may 2009. After Braba died.

[srikrish05]

IS IT THANK YOU