{"id":122490,"date":"2022-01-30T14:05:08","date_gmt":"2022-01-30T21:05:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=122490"},"modified":"2022-01-30T14:05:08","modified_gmt":"2022-01-30T21:05:08","slug":"proposal-to-set-up-an-international-memorial-museum-on-colonial-crimes-in-sri-lanka-at-the-old-bogambara-prison-site-kandy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2022\/01\/30\/proposal-to-set-up-an-international-memorial-museum-on-colonial-crimes-in-sri-lanka-at-the-old-bogambara-prison-site-kandy\/","title":{"rendered":"Proposal to set up an International Memorial Museum on Colonial crimes in Sri Lanka at the old Bogambara Prison site; Kandy."},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr. Sudath Gunasekara\u00a0 B.A. (Hons) PhD Retired Permanent Secretary to\u00a0\u00a0 Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayaka.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

In memory of the brave Kandyan\nSinhale patriots who sacrificed, their \nlives in battles against three European Invaders, Portuguese, Dutch and\nEnglish  from (1505 to 1948) to save the\nMotherland and the Sinhala nation<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(By this essay I propose to the\nGovernment of Sri Lanka to set up an International Museum on Colonial crimes from (1505-1948) <\/a>in Kandy, at the old Bogamabara Prison\nsite, in memory of the brave Kandyan Sinhale patriots who sacrificed their\nlives in battle against three barbaric and ruthless European Invaders,\nPortuguese, Dutch and English for Three Centuries continuously from (1505 to\n1948) to save their Motherland and the Sinhala Nation<\/em>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Proposed name for the Institute) <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

International Museum on Colonial Crimes\nCommitted by Portuguese, Dutch and British from (1505-1948) in Sri Lanka :  A Memorial Institute in Memory of the Sinhala\nPatriots who sacrificed their lives to defend the Motherland from these invaders\nfor, four and half Centuries.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Bogambara Prison <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was built by the British in 1874\nas the second largest Prison in this country on the model of the famous\nBastiile Prison in Paris. Bastiile was built to imprison and suppress those who\nrose against the French Monarchy. Similarly, this was built by the colonial\ninvader British to imprisoned, suppress and hang the native Sinhala patriots\nwho revolted and rose against the British colonial Government. Bogambara did\nthe same job in Sri Lanka to Sinhalese, what the Bastiile did in France. There\nwas little difference between what happened in Batiile in France and Bogambara\nin Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No final Plan to develop Bogambara\nPrison complex even after 8 years of its closing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Already 8 years have passed since\nthis prison was closed down in2014. Four Governments since then have been\ntalking high and the Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinha and a number of Ministers,\nof these governments and officials of different institutions also have visited\nthis site many a time. Much public funds have already being spent on these\npublic shows and many a report have been published, spending millions of public\nfunds without any substantial development to be seen, for 8 long years. Apart\nfrom real development isn\u2019t it a tragedy that even after 8 years there is no unanimity\namong the political masters or the officials entrusted with the job, on what\nreally, they are going to do here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the UDA Final Report:\nVol.2 (2019-2020) \u2018the redevelopment plan is not finalized yet\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at the long delay in\nconverting this historic place, located right at the center of the historic\nworld heritage city Mahanuwara (Kandy), The Great City \/Capital, of the last\nKingdom of Sinhale, a glistering jewel of the 2500 years old Sinhala Kingdom,\nto a useful purpose and more over lack of clarity in the minds of those who are\nin charge of the project as stated in the UDA report, which says Currently,\nno decision has been made on who will redevelop the major part of the prison\nbuildings\u201d is really very puzzling. I wonder as to what 4 Governments have been\ndoing for 8 years with so much of talking and public displays. Just like the\ngovernments, the management also has been going from hand to hand (Central\nEngineering Consultancy Services and UDA, the Prison Dept and dept of\nArchaeology) with different priorities and expertise that are far from the\nhistorical, cultural, political and strategic depth of this city and its\nenvirons. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this state of confusion, I am\nconvinced that this will be never converted to a functional level at least for\nanotherr10 years, as already 8 years have gone waste, under four Governments\nsince 2014. Different Ministers, have come out with different, but stale\nutopian plans. Neverthelss, still it is at ground level after 8 years, as\nstated by the UDA. I remember once Minister Malik Samarawickrama of the\nYahapaalanaya government said he will convert this place into a five-star Hotel\nto attract foreign tourists. His plan is now gone for good along with him,\nfortunately. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PM Ranil also declared open a so-called\nCultural Park outside the Prison wall included in the2016 plan. This event was\nattended by 6 Ministers 2 Ambassadors, Thailand and Japan and about 10\nofficials. At that time, it was under the Central Engineering Service and UDA<\/strong>. But very little activity\nis seen around the place since then.  Surprisingly for a layman like me, it looks a\nghost prison site now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At a later stage Champika Ranavaka,\nMinister of Megapolis visited the place and declared that he will develop this\nplace as a major tourist attraction. This plan was dropped in 2021 May and the\nDepartment of Prison also declared it will open a five-star Prison Hotel (a\ncrazy idea)<\/strong> here. Champika\u2019s fairy plans were also disappeared in the air\nalong with him and the Yahapalanaya Government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then Minister Keheliya Rambukwella\n(New Government) on a tour conducted on 21.7.2021 weekend declared that plans\nwere afoot to develop the old Bogambara Prison buildings and its land as a\nprominent tourist attraction for both local and foreign visitors to the\nheritage city of Kandy, the Minister said. Sri Lankans, particularly the\nKandyan traditional craftsmen and artistes, would be given the opportunity to\ndisplay their goods within the premises, the Minister said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile the State Minister Ministry\nof Heritage, Vidura Wickramanayake who visited the place on August 2. 2021,\nemphasized that a very special mixed project will be established in the\npremises of the Bogambara Prison and that priority will be given to artefacts\nof cultural and artistic value which have been protected up to now centered on\nthe last kingdom of Kandy. He also has said the speculations that the old\nPrison building will be demolish is untrue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

State Minister Wickramanayake further\nhas said that the environment required for artisans who engage in creations\nhighlighting traditional arts which is hereditary to Kandy, will be set up\nwithin these premises. He said that the programme will be launched together\nwith the Urban Development Authority, the Department of Archaeology and the\nPrisons Authority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UDA who are supposed to be in\ncharge of this rehabilitation Project (as opposed to doing something novel) on\nthe other hand in their GREATER KANDY URBAN PLAN, Final Report: Vol.2 says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Main Text Plans ready to\ndevelop old Bogambara Prison Complex has said they are planning to convert it\nto a develop old Bogambara Prison Complex that will be turned into a mixed-use\nbuilding with public open space in front as tourist attraction center (Details\nnot given. Also, it looks very vague. As they say it will me a mixed project.\nThe details of the composition of the mix are not reveled)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scanning through all these Mixed\nstories\u201d overall, it looks to me now, that it is like Alice in Wonderland. I\nwonder whether all the people who visited the site have fallen through the\nrabbit hole and are still in Alice\u2019s Wonderland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My observations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Looking at all these news reports it is more\nthan clear that even after 8 years there is no final plan or a final decision of\ndevelopment rehabilitation, whatever they call it, on the proposed new\nProject.  All speakers have highlighted\nonly the conventional, but rather stale, tourist promotion aspect and the\nservice they have in their minds on Kandyan Arts and Crafts. None of them seems\nto be aware of the existence of the Laksala and the Department of Small\nIndustries, with their Kundasale Sri Narendra Sinha Arts and Crafts Colony and\na large number of private shops with a massive Kandyan Arts Center\n(Incidentally for which I laid the Foundation in 1972 as Assistant Director of\nthe Department of Small Industries Kandy, at that time.) just in front of the\nKings wood College, to take care of this sector from late 1950 s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these lose talks prove that even\nafter 8 year none of them seems to has a clear idea as to what the overall plan\nof development for this site should be.  Therefore,\nit is still in the speculation stage most of them groping in the dark,\npoliticians taking center stage, as a display of cheap political propaganda to\nattract the votes only. It has been a merry-go round for everybody at public\nexpense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this back drop, as I see it, the\nBogambara prison site has become a mere theater for politicians for regular cheap\npolitical media shows, to deceive the voters, just as they had done in all\nother fields for the past 73 years, by pretending that they are seriously\ninterested in developing this place on a multifaceted development fairy tale,\nlike the Midsummer Night Dream of Shakespeare, without a clear idea as to what\nthey are going to do with this historically and economically valuable site. The\nfact that each politician who visited the site had a different approach and a\ndifferent perception of future development on this site explains the confusion\nand lack of purpose and clarity as to what the Government is going to do here\nor in other words it does not have a concrete plan at all in hand and it has\njust boiled down to a dirty political game only. All of them are still groping\nin the dark, I think. To me it appears that only Heritage Minister had said\nsomething sensible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, no one has said anything\nsensible. Also no one has seen or thought of the historical and political importance\nof this prison site in one of the darkest chapters of Sri Lankan history where\nmany a conspiracy and crimes have been hatched and committed against the Sinhala\nNation and similarly about the light it can throw on the atrocities of\nexpansion of Colonialism and the spread of religion at gun point by the war\nminded hungry European invaders in the Middle Ages with no mercy on any human\nbeing outside their complexion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Talking about the Prison per se, it\nis a pity none has taken in to account the importance of the historical and\npolitical role played by this prison during the time of repressive colonial\nadministration in designing a plan that display the sacrifices made by the\nKandyan peasants and their patriotic<\/a>[S1]<\/a> \nleaders, the battles they fought and how valiantly they kept all the invaders\nlocked in to a narrow coastal belt for 310 long years until the British\nsucceeded in annexing the Island to the British empire by shrewd and cunning intrigue\nin1815<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 None of these politicians or the officials\nhave had the slightest idea of the important role played by the Kandyan\npeasants, who suffered and died inside these walls helplessly, for fighting against\nthe enemy,  and their unique braveries in\ndefending the motherland and the Sinhala nation for 310 years, not only in\nprotecting the Kandyan Kingdom but also the whole country and the Sinhala\nnation surrounded by the mighty Indian Ocean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 In fact, in my view the new project that is to\ncome up here should be dedicated to the memory of that great people, who are\nnow completely forgotten and even their descendants criminally betrayed by\neverybody, including the politicians who are clueless about what their\nancestors had done to save this land for us and moreover their own pristine\nheritage as a world class nation.  These\npoliticians and officials who do not know that they had a glorious past live\nand fly high in an empty European made air balloon taking this country and the\nSinhala Nation to imminent disaster. So how can people like that ever conceive\na meaningful plan to make the best use of this wonderful site?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The best example I can quote to prove\nthe ignorance, disregard, the callousness and jealousy the present- ay\npoliticians have towards these great people (Kandyans) who saved the country\nand the Sinhala nation from Western Colonial invasions is the abolition of the\nDepartment of Kandyan Peasantry Rehabilitation and the Kandyan Area Development\nAuthority in Jan 2014 by the present Minister of Finance Mr. Basil Rajapaksa, who still have double allegiance by being a\ndual citizen (1 America and 2 Sri Lanka)  to establish his pet Project  Divineguma in 2014. by closing down three\nimportant institutions started by previous governments namely, a) The Kandyan\nPeasantry Dept and the Kandyan Area Development Authority and the\nJanasaviya.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, any Development Project\ndesigned for this site should be a Master piece<\/strong> that could take the world by\nsurprise on the darker side of Colonialism and also that could pave the way for\nthe countries in Asia Africa and Latin America, for political, economic and\ncultural liberation from the neo-colonial suppressions and oppressions   <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I also suggest that this memorial\ninstitute is divided in to three separate sections to demonstrate each colonial\nperiod separately vide; Portuguese Wing, Dutch Wing and the British Wing to\nenable the visitors to see the scales of crimes done by each colonial power to\nthis country<\/strong>. Such a division will make it easy to compare and differentiate the\ncrimes each power had done and also understand the commitments for liberation betrayals\nof the natives of each period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such any project designed to this\nsite should be able to expose the darker side <\/a>of the\nbarbaric, inhuman and savages\u2019 European colonialism that reflect the true\ncolonial history on this tropical Island. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A multifaceted approach preserving\nthe Kandyan architecture.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All other activities like public\nParks, Libraries, tourist shops, cafeterias, Cinema Halls, Conference Halls, Exhibition\nHalls, lecture theaters should be cited separately nice landscaped. All the new\nbuildings should be designed in the traditional Kandyan Architecture to\npreserve the indigenous Sinhala architectural designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 In my view the development of this place should\nexpand beyond the stale and common tourist promotion mania of average men. I\nsuggest that it must also encompass a broader academic scope. So that it could\nbe a gold mine for researchers and students of different types of colonialism\nin one place, both medieval and the present times, so that it could turn out to\nbe an academic center par excellence in the Indian ocean, -the path way to the\nEast and the West from ancient times. So that it will attract thousands of\nresearchers and scholars from all parts of the world both the West and the East,\nthereby opening a super highway for earning Foreign Exchange as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one involved in this project so\nfar seems to have noticed the potentials of developing this historic place, on\nthese lines as a center of attracting academic interests in studying how\nmedieval colonial expansion has transformed and changed this modern world. How\ncolonialism was responsible for the present day socio-political, economic and\nhuman mess and conundrums arisen from the ills of colonial policies to the\nvictim nations and how to find workable solutions to such ailing white manmade\nproblems due to the perpetuation of the same medieval colonialism in the modern\nworld even today and arrest the neo-colonialism intruding in different forms\ninto the affairs of the exploited countries like Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As such the establishment of a museum\nof the model proposed here   could be a\nworld famous research center for scholars the world over on colonialism and its\nimpact on reshaping and transforming the old world and how colonialism has\nimplanted the aggressors religion, language and culture at gun point and\nthereby destroying the native and replacing the local cultures that has\ndisturbed and destroyed the global equilibrium that was brought about by environmental\ndiversity where each nation respect the other man\u2019s culture that might have far\nreaching effects on our co-existence on this planet  and WORLD peace, sans the present day global\ntension and unrest by practicing the \u2018Matsya nyaaya as preached by Kautillya,\nwhere the stronger swallows UP THE WEAKER.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 In addition to what I have discussed above the proposed museum\ncomplex will also have separate sections to display <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Visuals of brutalities committed by\ncolonial invaders<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like murder, arson, vandalism,\ndestruction of religious places slaughter of cattle, wanton destruction to the\nenvironment, large scale deforestation on the hill country, destruction of\nirrigation canals, village Tanks, destroying home gardens and paddy fields,\neconomic bases social institutions removal of valuable books, ola leaves,\nartifacts, science and indigenous knowledge like Ayurveda <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instances of Destabilizing political\nharmony by discriminatory methods like giving minorities special privileges,\ndiscrimination against the Sinhala majority setting Tamils and Muslims against\nthem, planting Indian nationals right at the centre of the country giving rise to\na new Indian Tamil civilization to destroy the territorial integrity of this\nSinhala country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introducing new laws for the\nminorities while denying the natives their own and imposing Roman Dutch Law on them.\nRobing the native land by repressive legislation like Encroachment on Crown\nlands Ord of 1840, Temple Lands Ord of 1853 and the Wasteland Ordinance of 1897.\nThey also destroyed the age old native political, legal, administrative and\nsocial institutions and replaced them with systems   completely alien and inappropriate to the\ntraditions of the colonies. The proposed Museum should provide a store House of\ninformation on these subjects.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A special committee to study each of\nthese aspects and prepare a comprehensive sectoral plan for each section<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Govt must set up a special committee to study each of these aspects and\nprepare sectoral plan for each section<\/a>. Within this programme we also can\nhave provisions for Hotels, Sale centers, Theaters, conference halls, craftsmen\nat work to demonstrate how medieval Sinhala Craftsmen work in their villages, Exhibition\nhalls, libraries. In fact, this museum should be developed as a museum complex.\nThis could be the first of its kind on studies on colonialism in the whole\nworld. The entire site of 14 acres should be nicely landscaped and buildings\nshould reflect Kandyan Architecture. I suggest the following statues should also\nbe erected in prominent places to add colour, decor and pride of a nation that\nhad a Great heritage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monaravila Kepetipola Disava,\nEhelepola Disava, Pilimatalava Adhikaa<\/p>\n\n\n\n

rama, Meegastenne Adikarama, Viira Madduma\nBanda  Wariyapola Sumangala and\nKadahapola Thero and Welivita Sangharaja Thero,  Puran Appu.,Gongalegoda Banda Saradiyal Sirima\nBandarnayaka and Tennakoon Wimlananda, Nittawela Gunaya and Thittapajjala Suramba,\nso that they will add colour, dignity and pride to a nations past. Keppetipola Disava walking with a hunch back looking for\nIndependence of his motherland in Mauritius Isle in conversation with his\nFrench care taker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1Use the traditional Temple painting technique\nin narrative form for Wall Paintings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2Miscellaneous items that could be\nincorporated to enhance the historical and cultural values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 All displays should be arranged in a way\nthat pays the nation\u2019s highest  gratitude and honour to its heroes who fought\nagainst the enemies to defend the Motherland and the Sinhala nation and their\nreligion and sacrificed their loved ones and everything they had and finally\ntheir lives  in the name of the motherland\nand its people. during one of the darkest chapters of Sri Lanka\u2019s history<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4Exhibit Sinhala weaponry and war\ntechniques they used in battle against the invader<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 A fully equipped library to House documents\npertaining to the 1505-1848 period with a competent library staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 A research unit in collaboration\nwith the Peradeniya University<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7 A Theatre for regular display of Kandyan\nDancing and Folk Drama for tourists<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, I also propose to set up a Special\nCommittee of experts in Sri Lankan and World Colonial History<\/strong>. Pertaining to the period\nmentioned (1505-1948) with a mixture of experts in History, Architecture of\nthis country, State Craft and  Kandyan\nLaw, Sinhala Legal system and state craft, Indigenous Agriculture social system\netc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Few names I would like to suggest to this\nCommittee. Emeritus Professor Gerald Peiris, Senaka Weeraratna, Asoka Badarage,\nSenali Waduge, Ariyawansa Jayakodi, Palitha Ariyaratna,Wansaratna Senaanayaka, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ex-Officio members<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

GA Kandy, Commissioner of Prisons, Mayor\nof Kandy MC or his Representative, Two scholarly Representatives from Malwatta and\n Asgiriya Sects, Someone to represent the\nVC of Peradeniya University, Diyawadana Nilame. a Representative from the UDA,\nA Rep from the Ministry of Heritage and Com of Archaeology<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(The services of the writer are also\navailable if they want it,  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

on request) <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

 [S1]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Sudath Gunasekara\u00a0 B.A. (Hons) PhD Retired Permanent Secretary to\u00a0\u00a0 Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayaka. In memory of the brave Kandyan Sinhale patriots who sacrificed, their  lives in battles against three European Invaders, Portuguese, Dutch and English  from (1505 to 1948) to save the Motherland and the Sinhala nation. (By this essay I propose to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dr-sudath-gunasekara"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122490"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122490\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}