Amnesty for looted artifacts: Sri Lanka wants its treasures back

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
9 Jul 2023 18:37

The relevant artifacts are the ones that were looted during the protests at the presidential palace last year.

Sri Lankan protesters, some carrying national flags, stand on top of prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 13, 2022 (AP)

On Sunday, Sri Lanka offered an amnesty for the return of historical artifacts that had been stolen after protesters broke into the presidential palace last year, which forced the country's then-leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa to leave.

Thousands of people broke into the palace on July 9, 2022, after months of demonstrations over Sri Lanka's worst economic crisis since earning independence from Britain in 1948.

A month-long amnesty to surrender the objects was announced by Rajapaksa's successor Ranil Wickremesinghe's administration.

"Various valuable artefacts and archaeological items went missing, including coats of arms associated with former governors and presidents of Sri Lanka," the announcement read.

During its five-day takeover, the artifacts were taken from the palace, which has served as a symbol of state power for more than 200 years, in the center of Colombo.

Five coats of arms, including the one of Jorge de Albuquerque, the seventh Portuguese governor chosen in 1622 to rule the island, were photographed and made public by the authorities.

Various governors owned coats of arms during the 19th and 20th decades of British colonial authority.

Social media images -- after the protesters took over the palace -- showed them having fun in the presidential pool and jumping on four-poster beds.

Security personnel moved back as Rajapaksa made his getaway through a back door. Crowds snapped pictures in front of priceless artifacts.

Protesters accused Rajapaksa of corruption and poor financial management of the country.

Later, police detained a man who had been walking home with a mug of presidential beer, and they apprehended two more people when they posted pictures on Facebook and claimed they had stolen Rajapaksa flags to make a sarong and a bedsheet.

A court has already ordered the former President to explain how he acquired the $6,000 in cash that activists discovered in Rajapaksa's bedroom, which they then turned over to the police.

Initially seeking refuge in Singapore and Thailand, Rajapaksa has now returned under close surveillance.

After increasing taxes and dramatically boosting prices, his successor put a stop to protests and restored basic supplies.