There was no attack on the Jaffna Public Library on 23 Oct, as reported in The Sunday Leader of yesterday (31), said the Inspector General of Police, Mahinda Balasuriya.

He also stated that there were no reports of the presence of employees of the Presidential Secretariat in an incident that took place at the Jaffna Public Library on this date.

The Presidential Secretariat in a press release issued with reference to the report published in The Sunday Leader, stated that no member of the Presidential Secretariat was involved in this incident as alleged.

'The report of the participation of members of the Presidential Secretariat in this incident, which was not an attack on the Jaffna Public Library, is based on unverified and unauthenticated information', the release said.

Following is the full release:

Alleged attack on Jaffna Public Library

Our Attention has been drawn to the lead news item in The Sunday Leader of today – October31, 2010 – headlined “Jaffna Public Library Comes under attack, again” referring to the alleged participation of the Presidential Secretariat in this incident.

Following inquiries from the Police and other relevant authorities we categorically state that no member of the Presidential Secretariat was involved in this incident.

The report of the participation of members of the Presidential Secretariat in this incident, which was not an attack on the Jaffna Public Library, is based on unverified and unauthenticated information.

While referring to an attack on the Jaffna Public Library, the news item later mentions an “altercation”, which was settled with the intervention of the Security Forces, corroborated by Mr. Suresh Premachandran MP.

Although the report states that “After entering, the mob went on a rampage, removing books from their shelves and strewing them on the floor” there has been no such report made to the Police or other security authorities in Jaffna.

The Sunday Leader also quotes an anonymous municipal employee who claimed to have witnessed the entire incident, but was unable to confirm or deny if the [alleged] assailants were indeed from the Presidential Secretariat, as he had not been present when they identified themselves to staff members at the library.”

Reports from the Police and other authorities in Jaffna are clear that there was no attack on the Jaffna Public Library as reported. The details of the report show that it has been based on unverified and unauthenticated statements from unidentified persons.

It is regretted that such a report was published without adequate verification of facts, especially in view of the memories it revives of the earlier attack and destruction of the Jaffna Public Library, which is treasured by the people of Jaffna, and has been rebuilt by the Government with contributions from people from all parts of Sri Lanka. The Government remains committed to the policy of reconciliation in the post-conflict situation, and would not allow the repeat of such attacks on places of cultural, educational and intellectual value to the Tamil people.

Presidential Secretariat
October 31, 2010