Some trying to rewrite country’s history for dollars - President

Chaminda Perera

No amount of money or might can change a country’s history President Mahinda Rajapaksa said, adding that we are living in an era in which certain elements were trying to rewrite the history of a country through money power.

He said that certain elements are trying to remove all traces of Sri Lanka ‘s history by bulldozing places where historical artifacts are located.

The President stressed the importance of protecting artificats which are our heritage. “We are witnessing an era in which some elements were preparing to destroy the history of other countries by spending dollars”, he said.

Speaking at the opening of a new building complex of the National Archives Department yesterday, President Rajapaksa said that the country experienced an era in which certain elements tried to prevent the people from speaking about Sinhalese Kings such as King Dutu Gemunu.

“They (the people) thought that they would be branded as chauvinists if they talked about of King Dutugemunu”, he said. President Rajapaksa stressed that Sri Lankans can be proud of her rich history and kings. The President was presented a special memento by Minister of National Heritage Dr. Jagath Balasuriya.

A book containing the rare pictures of former Hambantota district parliamentarian and one time Deputy Speaker D. A. Rajapaksa conserved in the National Archives was also presented to the President.

President Rajapaksa lauded the services of the Maha Sangha in protecting valuable documents related to country’s history and the religion for posterity in temples and monasteries for centuries.

He said the documents preserved by our forefathers helped India identify King Asoka in the 1800. He said that India was able to identify Emperor Asoka due to the documents preserved by Sri Lankans. Stone inscription mentioned of a King called Piyadassi but there were no documentary evidence to prove that he was Emperor Asoka. The President said that Sri Lanka had documents to prove that he was Emperor Asoka.

He said that the National Archives has deposited 22 linear kilometers of archival materials in its present facility and documents of Dutch, Portugese and British era have also been well preserved in the Archives. Minister of National Heritage, Senior Minister A. H. M. Fowzie, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and Director of National Archives Department Saroja Wettasinghe were also present.