The government is exploring possibilities of seeking compensation for colonial-era losses and the return of looted cultural treasures. This fact was revealed by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath in response to a proposal raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in parliament on Friday (6).
Herath has noted that the process of pursuing compensation for damage to property, theft and loss of life linked to the colonial period is currently underway and that Sri Lanka is also continuing efforts to recover cultural artefacts taken from the country during colonial rule.
The foreign minister had told parliament that both the Portuguese and Dutch governments have accepted Sri Lanka’s requests for the restitution of looted cultural artefacts and that some of the artefacts have already been returned, while the remainder are expected to be handed over in due course.
Herath has noted that the government also intended to pursue additional reparations through economic channels in the future, stressing the importance of addressing unresolved colonial-era grievances.
The minister has made these observations after Premadasa had urged Sri Lanka to follow the example of African nations that are pressing former colonial powers for reparations.
Herath, in response, had referred to a 2005 proposal to mark 500 years since Portuguese colonization, which had been put forward by then Portuguese ambassador and that as minister of cultural affairs at the time, he (Herath) had rejected the proposal and instead demanded reparations for looted artefacts, loss of life and confiscated property.
He has further noted that the Portuguese government had accepted those demands and that the Netherlands later also agreed to return artefacts taken during the colonial period, with some already repatriated on two occasions and the remainder expected to be returned.
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