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Learn to be Lankans, that is the winning point, says Defence Secretary.
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AstroLTTE
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 15 Aug 2008 02:10:11 GMT Report for Abuse
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Primary Sources for History of the Sri Lankan Tamils
Review by Ana Pararajasingham at the launch of the book on 24th December 2005, from TamilNation
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Thalayo....do you think this will help to get a country for u? :-) |
Thalaivar
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 15 Aug 2008 02:10:26 GMT Report for Abuse
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In the Netherlands, Dr Gunasingam came across an enormous quantity of valuable primary sources relating to Sri Lanka and especially to Sri Lankan Tamils . This included an account depicting the fierce spirit of independence displayed by one of the Vanni chiefs- Kaila Vanni.
Dr Gunasingam also identified a significant number of primary sources in Britain at the British Library in the section allocated to Indian & oriental collections. At the Bodelian Library in Oxford, he discovered a doctoral thesis by M H Peter de Silva that sheds light on early Tamil settlements in the central province.
His research in Britain involved several other places including the libraries at the University of Cambridge, Royal Commonwealth Society Library and the National Archives in London
Dr Gunesingam s quest had also taken him to Paris Germany and Switzerland where he located primary sources. In Switzerland for instance he discovered complete copies of documents from the International Tamil Archives based in Kandy in Sri Lanka.
Even though the US did not colonise Ceylon, Americans were in Ceylon to promote the Christian faith among the locals-particularly the Tamils. In the course of their stay which was largely in the Jaffna Peninsula considerable amount of documentation occurred. Many of which, the author discovered in Boston
Of course, Dr Gunasingam s book is not a mere catalogue of findings. It is interspaced with history and anecdotes, which make the book an interesting read as well.
What impressed me most about this book is the dedication and focus of the author who despite almost insurmountable odds undertook a mammoth task and succeeded in it.
His role has been that of a guide to future historians, who, can now be expected to embark upon the task of recording the authentic history of the Tamil people in the island of Sri Lanka.
As we Tamils of Eelam stand at the threshold of establishing a state of our own, Dr Gunasingam has accomplished an enormous feat to consolidate our national identity as a people.
I salute Dr Gunasingam and his enormous drive to accomplish something of immense national significance. He will and should be remembered as a pioneer who had paved the way for historians of the future.
Almost a century ago C W Thamotharampiilai had cried out in pain concerned that our heritage was being lost as ancient manuscripts were being destroyed through neglect.
Gentlemen are you not concerned that these manuscripts are wasting away? Do you not realise that Tamil is your mother? Do you feel proud about not having a sense of national religious or linguistic pride?
Gunasingam had answered this call by acting with a single-minded dedication. Let us do our part by buying the book reading it and most importantly encouraging the next generation to continue what Gunasingam had begun
The above review is for a different book written by same person i mentioned earlier.I dont have any other latest book (other than what I mentioned earlier) on this with comprehensive history of tamils in SL. There is some intersting point about burning the jaffna library by the reviewer.
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Thalaivar
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15 Aug 2008 02:12:38 GMT Report for Abuse
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This brings us to Dr Gunasingam s book and its significance and relevance to us as a people. The fact is that a comprehensive historical account of the Tamil people in the Island of Sri Lanka is yet to be written. True, there are certain specialised areas, which have been studied in detail by scholars of the calibre of Arasartanam, Pathmanthan and Ragupathy. Then there is the recent publication by Dr Indrapala tracing the evolution of a Tamil identity in the Island of Sri Lanka. Indrapala perhaps comes closest to meeting this need for a comprehensive account. Having said that there is no denying that there is much more to be researched, probed and explored.
As Dr Gunasingam mentions in this book there are number of reasons for this state of affairs. The major reason is of course the lack of archaeological studies carried out in the Tamil homeland. This is largely due to the restrictions that Tamils faced as a marginalised, persecuted and discriminated group. This hampered original research being undertaken.
It was also because many of the primary sources that are invaluable to researchers had been destroyed inadvertently or deliberately. Some of you may recall that a deliberate destruction took place within our living memory in 1981 when the Jaffna Public Library home to many rare manuscripts was burnt down.
Many of the primary sources relating to our history are held by our past colonial masters in their libraries and national archives in Britain, Holland, Portugal and even the US.
Edited By - Thalaivar - 15 Aug 2008 02:20:33 GMT |
EEELamaya
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 15 Aug 2008 02:14:07 GMT Report for Abuse
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Cant you see it? Or your tamil only network didnt inform u? SLA is killing a group of murderers in Sri Lanka home land...:-)
Ths situation of Tamil Eelam is very similar to that of Kosovo, or even recently, as the breakaway republics of Georgia. So, the solution to th eproblem also must be same -- independence! |
Curumba
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 15 Aug 2008 02:14:49 GMT Report for Abuse
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Betta
One has to question who are the real racist, there are no sinhala in wanni(all killed) but Tamils living in Colombo.
I have a family member in SLA killing illegal alains who killed my distant family member in 1983.I am hiding in a foreign country to financially support my relatives who are saving the people like you from terrorist.
Edited By - Curumba - 15 Aug 2008 02:16:28 GMT |
AussieBoy
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15 Aug 2008 02:17:00 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Thalaviar... ok ok... we get it! Some tamils have written some new books about tamils in Sri Lanka! You can stop now... :) |
AstroLTTE
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15 Aug 2008 02:20:46 GMT Report for Abuse
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Ths situation of Tamil Eelam is very similar to that of Kosovo, or even recently, as the breakaway republics of Georgia. So, the solution to th eproblem also must be same -- independence!
There is no similar in Kosovo and Sri Sri Lanka....Kosovo is in Europe and Sri lanka is in Asia...
Kosovo People are white...Sri Lankan people are dark....
Kosovo climate is cold where Sri Lanka climate is warm....etc...many more differences...
Then how......:-) |
Thalaivar
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15 Aug 2008 02:22:12 GMT Report for Abuse
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Thalaviar... ok ok... we get it! Some tamils have written some new books about tamils in Sri Lanka! You can stop now... :)
does it hurt?:))) |
AstroLTTE
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15 Aug 2008 02:23:14 GMT Report for Abuse
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does it hurt?:)))
Defineetly not....because not interested to buying books these days...!! :-) |
AussieBoy
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15 Aug 2008 02:24:33 GMT Report for Abuse
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Ths situation of Tamil Eelam is very similar to that of Kosovo, or even recently, as the breakaway republics of Georgia. So, the solution to th eproblem also must be same -- independence!
This should read:
The terrorism of tamil eelam is very similar to that of Al Qaeda. So, the solution to the problem also must be the same -- extinction!
Edited By - AussieBoy - 15 Aug 2008 02:26:11 GMT |
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