'Archaeological finds should be safeguarded' -Ilankumaran

[TamilNet, Sunday, 12 January 2003, 19:47 GMT]
Faculty of Archaeology should be established in universities in the northeast to ensure better security to the archaeological finds of our land, said Mr.V.Ilankumaran, head of the Thamileelam Educational Development Division addressing a meeting of Trincomalee writers and critics Saturday evening at Trincomalee Sri Koneswara Hindu College.

"Archaeological finds of our land provide the evidence that is needed to establish our historical presence in our traditional land. We would take appropriate steps to safeguard the finds through the formation of preservation boards at district level," said Mr.Ilankumaran.

In the name of high security zone (HSZ) security forces continue to occupy our lands. Now archaeological finds recovered from our soil are also facing danger of being spirited away, he said.

On the need for preserving historical records of past eminent scholars Mr.Ilankumaran said, " we have not fully documented the lives and times of Tamil scholars born in the northeast. Jaffna born Tamil scholar C.V.Thamotharampillai who made invaluable contribution to the Tamil language by printing the ancient "'Tholkappiam" has not been given due place in the Tamil history. 2003 is the centenary year of Mr. C.V.Thamotharampillai. Swami Vipulananda born in Batticaloa introduced the literary works of poet Barathi to the Tamil world."