Sri Lanka's icon of colonial rule rises from the rubble
As an army of labourers churns out limestone bricks, archeologist Prashantha Mandawala reflects on the ambitious task of restoring Sri Lanka's centuries-old Jaffna fort, destroyed by ethnic war.
The project has so far included the dangerous task of clearing unexploded mines and shells from the seafront site and scouring the northern Jaffna peninsula for scarce limestone bricks to use for the rebuilding.
Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil rebels laid siege to the European-built fort, branded a symbol of colonial oppression, during the conflict that raged on the island until 2009.
A Sri Lankan labourer works on the ramparts and moat in front of the 17th century Dutch-built Jaffna Fort that is undergoing restoration in the northern city of Jaffna ©Lakruwan Wanniarachchi (AFP)
