Netherlands returns treasure looted from Sri Lanka during colonial era
नीदरलैंड ने औपनिवेशिक युग में श्रीलंका से लूटा गया खजाना लौटाया
The Netherlands has officially returned a historically valuable ancient treasure looted from Sri Lanka during the Dutch colonial occupation of the country from 1658 to 1796. Visiting Netherlands Minister for Culture and Media Gunne Uslu has visited Sri Lanka two centuries ago. An agreement was signed in Colombo on Monday to officially return six colonial-era artefacts taken during Dutch rule. After signing the agreement with Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickremenayake, Minister Uslu said, “This is a historic moment. We are following the committee’s recommendations to return items that should never have been brought into the Netherlands.”
Originating from Kandy, the last kingdom of the central hills of Sri Lanka, the artefacts include gold and silver ceremonial swords (Kastane), two rifles, a Sinhalese knife and a bronze cannon, also known as the Canon of Levke. Studded with gold, silver, bronze and rubies, the 275-year-old cannon is believed to have been a gift by Sri Lankan aristocrat Levke Disawa (Chieftain) to the then king of Kandy around 1745-46 and captured by the Dutch during the 1765 siege and plunder of Kandy. It was seized by the soldiers of the East India Company.
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