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Sri
Lanka
would
officially
appeal
to a
number
of
museums
in
several
countries
as well
as
private
collectors
to
return
cultural
and
religious
artifacts
and
statues
spirited
away
from the
country,
Urban
Development
and
Sacred
Area
Development
Minister
Dinesh
Gunawardena
said.
He said
that the
decision
has been
made
after
recommendations
by a
special
Cabinet
-
approved
committee
of
scholars
who
handed
over
their
report
last
week.
Stocks
of
Lankan
artifacts
were
seized
by the
Portuguese,
British
and
Dutch
during
the days
of
colonization.
The
committee
in its
study
has
found
that a
number
of
historical
and
precious
Sri
Lankan
artifacts
are on
display
in
museums
in some
countries
and Sri
Lankans
who are
interested
in
research,
studies
and
viewing
them are
unable
to do so
as they
belong
to those
countries
legally,
he said.
Minister
Gunawardena
said
that
President
Mahinda
Rajapaksa
had
expressed
his
desire
to
recover
the
archeological
treasures
that
belong
to Sri
Lanka
and
diplomatic
ties
would be
used to
recover
the
country’s
archaeological
wealth.
The
United
Nations
Educational,
Scientific
and
Cultural
Organization
(UNESCO)
would
help Sri
Lanka
bring
back the
artifacts,
the
Minister
said.
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