Sri Lanka to no longer use “Slave Island” title

Sri Lanka to no longer use “Slave Island” title

February 4, 2023   12:25 pm

Sri Lanka has decided to erase the name “Slave Island” from road signs, postal usage and voter registers nearly two centuries after slavery was abolished in the country.

The Secretary to PM Dinesh Gunawardena has given instructions to issue a gazette notification regarding the name of the locality, which has been known as “Slave Island” up until now, replacing it with “Kompagngna Veediya” in Sinhala, Tamil and English.

Mr. Anura Dissanayake has directed the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Local Government and Provincial Councils; Postmaster General; and the Commissioner of Colombo Municipal Council regarding this decision, which coincides with the 75th anniversary of Independence.

Accordingly, road signs, postal usage, road signs, postal usage and voter registers associated with Kompagngna Veediya, Colombo 02 will be renamed as “Kompagngna Veediya” in the main three languages in the country 

The decision has been taken on the advice of PM Gunawardena since the nomenclature of “Slave Island” used during the colonial period signifies a different meaning.

The name “Slave Island” was coined during the period of British colonial rule and was a reference to the usage of the island under Portuguese rule as a holding area for African slaves, most of them from the Swahili coast and Portuguese East Africa.

Disclaimer: All the comments will be moderated by the AD editorial. Abstain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or slanderous. Please avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment and avoid typing all capitalized comments. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by flagging them(mouse over a comment and click the flag icon on the right side). Do use these forums to voice your opinions and create healthy discourse.

Most Viewed Video Stories

Plans underway to remove illegal constructions threatening Sigiriya – Archeology DG (English)

Plans underway to remove illegal constructions threatening Sigiriya – Archeology DG (English)

Govt appoints committee to tackle plastic pollution (English)

Customs records over Rs. 1 Trillion in revenue in first six months of 2025 (English)

One person killed, Mangala's former private secretary injured in shooting at Kandana

🔴LIVE | Ada Derana Prime Time News Bulletin | 2025.07.03

Elon Musk's Starlink launches satellite internet in Sri Lanka (English)

Sri Lanka to receive 5th IMF tranche following 4th review approval (English)

Foreign university scholarships for A/L top achievers (English)