01.06.2025 – Jaffna, Tamil Eelam.
On the night of May 31 to June 1, 1981, one of South Asia’s largest libraries—the Jaffna Public Library—was deliberately set on fire by Sinhalese nationalist mobs. This act is widely regarded as a turning point in Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict and a calculated attempt to destroy the intellectual heritage of the Tamil people.
■.Importance of the Library
Founded in 1933, the Jaffna Public Library was a center of Tamil knowledge, culture, and historical memory. Its main building was opened in 1959, and by the time of its destruction, the library held over 97,000 rare books, ola leaf manuscripts, old newspapers, and valuable historical documents.
The library was not just a building, but a symbol of the Tamil community’s scholarly heritage and cultural identity.
■.Background to the Arson
On May 31, 1981, during an election campaign rally held by the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), a Sinhalese police officer was reportedly shot dead. In retaliation, Sinhalese mobs and Sri Lankan police began attacking Tamil institutions, shops, homes, and cultural centers in Jaffna.
On the night of June 1, the Jaffna Public Library was set ablaze. The fire destroyed all the priceless documents and manuscripts housed there.
■.Political Context and Responsibility
At the time of the burning, Sri Lankan ministers Cyril Mathew and Gamini Dissanayake were present in Jaffna. They later dismissed the incident as “the actions of a few drunken policemen.” No proper independent investigation was ever conducted, and no one was held accountable for this cultural atrocity.
■.Impact on the Tamil Community
The destruction of the Jaffna Public Library was seen as a deliberate attempt to erase Tamil history, knowledge, and identity. It caused immense grief and outrage among Tamils and fueled the growing movement for Tamil self-determination and resistance.
It remains one of the most devastating cultural crimes in South Asia’s modern history.
■.Reconstruction and Memory
In 2001, the Jaffna Public Library was reconstructed. Although the new building stands today, the priceless literary treasures and palm-leaf manuscripts were permanently lost.
The rebuilt library now stands as a symbol of Tamil resilience and a memorial to what was lost in that act of hatred.
■.Historical Significance
The burning of the Jaffna Public Library is considered one of the worst cases of ethnic and cultural destruction in the 20th century. It wasn’t just an attack on a building—it was a premeditated attempt to erase the memory and dignity of a people through the destruction of their intellectual legacy.
□ Eelaththu Nilavan □
01/06/2025
