Director-General of Sri Lanka’s Archaeology Department, Professor Anura Manatungm, has pledged to take steps to protect the residence of the embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and threatened legal action against potential looters.
The announcement follows news that the President has fled the country to the Maldives in advance of his scheduled resignation. After his resignation, he would lose immunity as a head of state that protects him from prosecution for a range of crimes. He reportedly fears being arrested and placed on trial where he could face prosecution for his financial crimes, as well as his genocide of Tamils.
Manatungm emphasised in his statement that:
“Appropriate measures were taken with the security personnel and parties leading the struggle to prevent further damage to the ancient monuments located at those places and to protect the valuable ancient and cultural properties. The officers of our department will continue to check those places regularly”.
He added:
“I hereby emphasise to avoid damaging or stealing the monuments and antiquities which are public property and the heritage of the nation and if it is done, legal action will have to be taken in accordance with the Antiquities Ordinance Act”.
Sri Lanka’s Archaeology Department has long faced criticism for being a vehicle to drive Sinhalaisation and justify land grabs across the Tamil homeland. Under Rajapaksa, an all-Sinhala task force dedicated to archaeology was established in the East and chaired by the notorious war criminal and defence secretary Kamal Gunaratna. Whilst two minority members were later added to the committee, this did little to quell the perception of “Buddhist Sinhalese religious and cultural imperialism”.
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