Sri Lanka
A Tamil Reading List
These top 10 Tamil reads explores themes that force us to think critically about the complexities of our Tamilness. In collaboration with Tamil Reads, a space for Tamil community building and mentorship through the sharing of Tamil and Eelam Tamil reads, we have created a list of our Top 10 that examines our nuanced identities. Continue reading “A Tamil Reading List”
How the 1981 riots shaped my future
“This was my father’s lorry that he used for his business, he actually owned two of them and would deliver goods across Sabaragamuwa Province in Sri Lanka. He also owned two shops in Ratnapura. He was doing well in life. My father’s success in business allowed me to go to boarding school in the capital,Continue reading “How the 1981 riots shaped my future”
The burning and rebuilding of Jaffna Public Library
At midnight on 31st May 1981, the prestigious Jaffna Public Library was set ablaze by Sri Lankan security forces and state-sponsored Sinhala mobs. The library housed over 97,000 rare books and manuscripts, positioning it as one of the largest in Asia and the foremost repository of Tamil literature and culture. Library’s Origins The library wasContinue reading “The burning and rebuilding of Jaffna Public Library”
Life in a bunker during the Sri Lankan conflict
In so called ‘No-Fire Zones’ Tamil civilians built makeshift bunkers to seek shelter. Conditions were appalling in the scorching heat, with food and medicine scarce. The area was very densely packed with families sheltering in flimsy tents, digging bunkers where possible in the sandy terrain or constructing them with improvised sand bags stitched out ofContinue reading “Life in a bunker during the Sri Lankan conflict”
