'Tamil heritage for sale in Colombo'

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 September 2009, 22:37 GMT]
Valuable antiquities plundered from the archaeological sites and monuments in Vanni by the occupying forces of Sri Lanka are now sold in the antiquarian market of Colombo, reports reaching from Colombo said. Before the war, the LTTE was maintaining a museum in Vanni, with a large collection of archaeological material including Buddhist artefacts.

Cultural artefacts and antiques of Jaffna were plundered and sold in Colombo after Sri Lanka troops occupying Jaffna in early 1990s.

Destruction and plunder of Tamil heritage has a long history in the sidewalks of the war.

Much has been said on burning the public library of Jaffna in 1981. But very little is known on the destruction and plunder of the archaeological museum of the University of Jaffna during IPKF occupation. Megalithic burial artefacts, palm-leaf manuscripts, a large collection of coins, beads and other valuable artefacts were missing from the museum. Later, some of them were reportedly sold in Jaffna itself. A huge collection of archival material, documents and publications related to the history of Tamil struggle, taken during late 1980s, is believed to be with the Indian intelligence agencies.