• Responding to conflicts between Arch. Dept.-historic site administrations

Noting practical difficulties in implementing certain provisions of the Antiquities (Amendment) Act, No. 24 of 1998, the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs stated that it has identified the need to amend several outdated laws, including the Act.

There have been several recent incidents where administrators of historic sites including Buddhist temples and the Department of Archaeology have come into conflict, mainly due to the latter halting renovation and construction related activities, citing violations of the provisions of the Antiquities Act.

When queried by The Daily Morning as to whether they would pay attention to the issue, the Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs, Gamagedara Dissanayake said that the department was required to act within the framework of the related laws. “The Antiquities Act is a powerful piece of legislation. Because of that, the department is bound to follow it. As a result, constructions and renovations in certain protected areas are halted.”

He also noted that the Antiquities Act, along with other related laws such as the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance (Vihara Devalagam Act), were quite old and in need of revision. “These are very old laws. Naturally, when they’re implemented today, practical problems come up. There are regular disagreements between site administrators and the Archaeology Department. Both parties have valid concerns, and we can't say who's wrong or right."

Speaking further, Dissanayake said that although no final decision had been made yet, there was a strong view within the Government and the society that such outdated laws should be amended. The Deputy Minister said: “If there are rules and regulations that cause unnecessary obstacles, they should be updated in a timely and practical manner. We have identified the need to amend the Antiquities Act and several other laws."

Originally enacted in the 1940s, the Antiquities Act aims to preserve and protect Sri Lanka's cultural heritage including ancient monuments, sites, and artifacts, by regulating activities such as excavations, issuing archaeology permits, and prohibiting the willful damage or destruction of antiquities.