Sri Lanka asks protesters to return treasures looted from presidential palace

More than 1,000 artefacts and archaeological items remain stolen

Sri Lanka has asked protesters to return historical treasures looted during the storming and five-day-long seize of the presidential palace a year ago.

The office of Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe said more than 1,000 valuable artefacts and archaeological items went missing after protesters ransacked the palace and prime minister’s official residence amid the country’s worst economic crisis.

The protesters from across the country overpowered the security and seized the Colombo Fort Presidential Palace in capital Colombo for five days in July 2022 in unprecedented scenes.

Shocking pictures and videos showed protesters jumping into the pool at the palace and some lounging on a bed draped with the presidential flag, while others ransacked the kitchen and the office.

The political crisis in the island nation of 22 million culminated in months-long protests by tens of thousands of citizens who demonstrated against the government over its alleged inability to resolve the worst economic crisis in decades under president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and demanded his resignation.

On Sunday, the officials released the pictures of five coats of arms which included one of Jorge de Albuquerque, the seventh Portuguese governor appointed in 1622 to administer the island, that are still missing.

The president’s secretary, Saman Ekanayake, has sought these items to be handed over to the Presidential Secretariat by 31 July.

He said following the one month amnesty those found retaining insignia will have to bear legal consequences and punishment as the unlawful possession of state property is an offence.

Demonstrators ransacked the presidential palace (via REUTERS)

“Various valuable artefacts and archaeological items went missing, including coats of arms associated with former governors and presidents of Sri Lanka,” the office of Ranil Wickremesinghe said.

Activists have handed over $6,000 cash found from the former president’s bedroom. A court is since hearing how Mr Rajapaksa earned it and why it was kept in his bedroom.

In March, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) granted approval for a loan programme worth $3b to the cash-strapped nation, marking a critical milestone for the financially distressed country to stabilise its economy and initiate the process of debt restructuring.

The executive board of the IMF, based in Washington, sanctioned the 48-month program and announced an initial disbursement of approximately $333mn.