39 years ago, the Jaffna library was burnt to the ground, "one of the most violent examples of ethnic biblioclasm of the 20th century" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_Jaffna_Public_Library. Content published on Groundviews frames this horrible act through prose & poetry. Impunity prevails. #lka #srilanka

Librarian & bibliographer H.A.I Goonetileke wrote in October 1981 "The gutted building is a grim testimonial to savage and bestial tendencies of communal hate." https://www.aa.com.tr/en/world/burnt-rebuilt-jaffna-library-reminds-of-sri-lanka-conflict/153795 Acts of violence continued after the end of the war https://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11668352 #lka #srilanka

They heaped the books
ninety thousand in all,
and lit the pyre
With the Cikalokavadda Sutta.
Thus the remains
of the Compassionate One
were burned to ashes
along with the Dhammapada.

Poem by Prof. M. A. Nuhman. Translation by S. Pathmanathan. https://groundviews.org/2012/06/01/the-burning-of-the-jaffna-library-31-years-on/ #lka

"Thus over the years, the library came to symbolise the oppressed and victimised Sri Lankan Tamil... Even now one must search in an archived file to find the above discourse. Like all else it is fading into history." The Burning Questions, https://groundviews.org/2013/08/21/the-burning-questions/ by Iraj de Alwis

I am seeing the library
from a great distance, pleased
that the building stands again,

imagining donations of contents,
the desire to establish pride
in the ancient Tamil culture

The Virtual Library, https://groundviews.org/2013/11/18/the-virtual-library/ by Indran Amirthanayagam #lka #srilanka