Netherlands to return looted Sri Lankan treasures. This 275-year-old cannon too

The Netherlands returned formal ownership to Sri Lanka of six colonial-era treasures which included a more than 275-year-old cannon that is studded with gold, silver, bronze and rubies. Dutch deputy minister for culture, education and science Gunay Uslu signed over the ownership of the objects to Sri Lanka at a ceremony at the cultural ministry in Colombo, news agency AFP reported.

Following this, Sri Lanka's national museum granted authority to Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum to hold the artifacts until they are transported to Colombo. This will be done in December this year. The first batch is set to return to Sri Lanka under a 2021 Dutch policy to restore cultural objects stolen from former colonies. This will include Lewke's Cannon which is believed to have been a gift from Sri Lankan aristocrat Lewke Disava to the king of Kandy around 1745-46. It was seized by Dutch troops in 1765 and since then has been displayed around the Netherlands. The cannon will eventually placed in the Rijksmuseum.

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Other items include two gold and silver swords, two guns and a knife which are also from a period when the Dutch ruled Sri Lanka from 1658 to 1796. The decision to return these objects followed recommendations by a government-appointed commission looking into illegal Dutch colonial acquisitions. It was set up after a request by Indonesia for the return of some art pieces and natural history collections. After this, Sri Lanka also requested its stolen treasures be returned.

The Portuguese ruled Sri Lanka from 1505 to 1658, followed by the Dutch, and finally the British before independence in 1948.

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