37 years ago today, the Jaffna
the Jaffna Public Library, a crown jewel among Tamil cultural institutions and one of the #largest libraries in South Asia, burned at the hands of state - sponsored mobs .
Library burned for two nights from the 31st May 1981, We lost over 97,000 ancient Tamil palm leaves (olai) , manuscripts , parchments and irreplaceable books , magazines and newspapers.
The 1981 burning happened under the watch of a UNP government, during a period of electioneering for District Development Council elections and notably while two notoriously cabinet ministers - Cyril Mathew and Gamini Dissanayake - were in Jaffna.
After this incident , so many Tamil youngsters took weapons against government .
the Jaffna Public Library, a crown jewel among Tamil cultural institutions and one of the #largest libraries in South Asia, burned at the hands of state - sponsored mobs .
Library burned for two nights from the 31st May 1981, We lost over 97,000 ancient Tamil palm leaves (olai) , manuscripts , parchments and irreplaceable books , magazines and newspapers.
The 1981 burning happened under the watch of a UNP government, during a period of electioneering for District Development Council elections and notably while two notoriously cabinet ministers - Cyril Mathew and Gamini Dissanayake - were in Jaffna.
After this incident , so many Tamil youngsters took weapons against government .
