Sri Lanka to receive colonial-era artefacts from Netherlands by December - Minister

A visiting cultural delegation of the Netherlands, led by State Secretary for Culture and Media in the Netherlands Gunay Uslu, signed two legal documents related to transferring the ownership of the artefacts that will be returned to Sri Lanka later this year, at the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs yesterday (28).
 
Accordingly, the ‘Transference of Acknowledgement’ and the ‘Loan Agreement’ related to the purpose have been signed by Dutch State Secretary Gunay Uslu and Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Vidura Wickramanayaka and the Director General of the Department of National Museums on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka.

Six historical objects that are currently on display in the collection of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam in the Netherlands, including the Lewke’s cannon, a Golden Kasthane, a Silver Kasthane, a Sinhalese Knife and two Guns that were confirmed to belong to Sri Lanka, will be returned through these ownership transfer documents, according to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs.

Commenting at the event, Minister Wickramanayaka expressed that the relevant artefacts will be brought back to Sri Lanka by December, adding that a special procedure has already been prepared for the safekeeping of these artefacts in Sri Lanka.

Furthermore, Wickramanayaka mentioned that measures are underway to incorporate the details of such Sri Lankan relics into the school curriculum, with a view to disseminating knowledge about cultural heritage and raising awareness among the students.

In 2021 the Dutch government approved the policy for the return of cultural heritage objects that are in the possession of the Dutch State. The indigenous populations of colonial territories were served an injustice through the involuntary loss of objects that formed part of their cultural heritage, said the Dutch government. Therefore Dutch government says it is keen to help rectify this historic injustice by returning cultural heritage objects to their country of origin and by strengthening international cooperation in this area.

The official delegation, which arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday (27), will be staying in Sri Lanka until August 31. It consists of Barbera Wolfensberger, Director General of Culture and Media in the Netherlands; Lilian Gonçalves-Ho Kang You, Chairperson of the Dutch Colonial Collections Committee; and Dr. Alicia Schrikker, a Member of the Committee.