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| Friday, 14 May 2004 |
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Call to protect Galle Fort from disintegration by Florence Wickramage The Galle Fort Heritage Protection Society (GFHPS) has submitted an appeal to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and Cultural Affairs and National Heritage Minister Vijitha Herath to prevent the disintegration of the historic Galle Fort by foreigners purchasing land within it. Galle Fort is a UNESCO declared World Heritage site. Whilst even the richest nations in the world have imposed restrictions and impediments on such Heritage and Archaeologically valuable sites the Sri Lankan government has facilitated foreigners to purchase such lands in the country, the GFHPS said. According to the Society a little over forty Heritage and Archaeological houses are already in the hands of foreigners who are contravening archaeological laws by converting them into vice dens, hotels and liquor bars. They allege that foreigners are establishing companies to avoid payment of taxes and that improper declarations have been submitted to obtain permits and licenses for such activity. The GFHPS submitted that such illegal activity presently flourishes in and around 38 hectares of this site which is dominated by residential, educational and religious institutions. These activities by foreigners are disrupting the social and religious life of the community. The GFHPS has appealed to the new government to halt immediately this buying spree of the foreigners which is fast swallowing the southern part of the island with its beaches by re-imposing taxes and strictly enforcing provisions of the law to protect our Heritage and Archaeologically valuable sites. |
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