Archive to preserve Trincomalee Tamils' historical records

[TamilNet, Monday, 10 February 2003, 21:47 GMT]
At a meeting held at the North-East Provincial Council Education Ministry's Management Centre Monday evening, a decision was taken to establish an archive to collect and preserve historical documents and other valuable pieces of literary and other research works that prove that the Trincomalee district has historically been a land of the Tamil people.

(L-R) Mr.K.Thevakadacham, Mr.Malaimaran and Mr.Tilak.

Mr.K.Malaimaran, Head of the Archives Unit of the LTTE for the Trincomalee district, presided over the discussion, which was attended by several leading citizens of Trincomalee. Mr.S. Tilak, District Political Head of the LTTE in Trincomalee, also participated.

Mr.Malaimaran said that all historical records, documents and other literary works that prove that the Trincomalee district has been part of the Tamil homeland should be collected and preserved. "Several Tamil historical records and documents have been destroyed and several stolen and hidden during the military operations by the State armed forces. The written history of Trincomalee has been distorted to suit the extremist elements among the Sinhalese people. An archive is urgently needed to preserve historical documents of Tamils as these elements are continuing to be actively engaged in distorting the history of the district," Mr.Malaimaran said.

Mr.Tilak, the LTTE district political head, said," we have lost several Tamil historical records and documents. It is not too late to preserve the available historical records."

The Trincomalee district is to play a vital role in the peace talks now Being held between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. "Tamils have lost their traditional lands in the district. We cannot allow such things to continue anymore," said Mr.Tilak.

At the conclusion, committees were formed to collect valuable Tamil historical records and documents and to set up an archive to preserve them, sources said.

Mr.Kanagasabai Thevakadacham made the welcome speech.

A section of the participants attended the meeting regarding the establishment of an archives to preserved Tamil historical records.