On the anniversary of the uprising that a year ago led to the fall of the president accused of corruption, his successor Wickremesinghe has decreed an amnesty for those who within a month return items stolen from the Presidential Palace, including the coats of arms of former governors that have great historical value.
Colombo (AsiaNews) - A year after the uprising that led to the fall of then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka wants to recover historical treasures looted by crowds at the Presidential Palace.
On Sunday, 9 July, as people marked the first anniversary of the struggle by tens of thousands of protesters against a corrupt administration that culminated in the storming of the Presidential Palace, incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced an amnesty for those who return within a month items taken from the palace.
“Various valuable artefacts and archaeological items went missing, including coats of arms associated with former governors and presidents of Sri Lanka," the President’s Office said in a statement, announcing the amnesty.
“The artefacts were stolen from the palace in the heart of the capital Colombo – a symbol of state authority for more than 200 years – during its five-day occupation,” the statement added.
Along with the announcement, the President’s Office released pictures of five coats of arms, including that of Jorge de Albuquerque, the seventh Portuguese governor appointed in 1622 to administer the island, and other coats of arms that belonged to governors in the 19th and 20th centuries.
The President's Secretariat stressed that keeping these official insignia beyond the specified period will result in legal consequences, since the unlawful possession of state property is a punishable offence.
The President's Secretariat indicated that anyone with relevant information can call a certain telephone number, noting that the public’s assistance is crucial in locating these coats of arms of significant national importance.
For their part, activists involved in the Aragalaya (the struggle that toppled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa) noted that at the time, protesters handed over to police about US$ 6,000 in cash found in the former president's bedroom. Following this, a court called on the former president to explain how he earned it.