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PMO blames Museum Director for damage to A’pura Buddha statue at Temple Trees
The Prime Minister’s office has blamed the Director of the National Museum for the damage caused to an Anuradhapura era Buddhist statue while it was on display at the Temples Tree during the Vesak period.
Prime Minister’s secretary Saman Ekanayake told the Sunday Times that an initial probe by the PM’s office pointed to lapses on the part of the Department of National Museums. The three-member committee, headed by an additional secretary, will hand in its report tomorrow.
Mr. Ekanayake said there had not been proper supervision when Department officials were handling the statue. “The Department director had not visited the hall where the statue was kept.Only some junior staff had come there and there was little supervision,” Mr. Ekanayake claimed.
He said the statue had been damaged, but insisted it was minor and could be repaired. Mr. Ekanayake maintained there was nothing wrong in exhibiting these items at Temple Trees or any other place. But proper precautions have to be taken, he said adding that the director had failed in her duty.
Meanwhile, a separate committee appointed by Minister of Internal Affairs, Wayamba Development and Cultural Affairs, S.B. Nawinna will handover its report on the issue early next week. This committee comprises two officials from the Ministry and one from the National Museum.
Joint Opposition members alleged that officials from the PM’s office had removed the statue from the Museum, despite objections from the Director, Department of National Museums, Sanuja Kasthuriarachchi.
Minister Nawinna, downplaying the situation, said the statue had been lent to the Temple Trees on his instructions, under powers vested with him under the Museums Act, following a request from the PM’s office.
The Minister was referring to Section 7(c) of the National Museums Ordinance of 1942, which states that, “the Director of the National Museum, in accordance with instructions that may be given to him/her by the Minister, in that behalf, “lend any book, document or object kept at any National Museum, for the purpose of being temporarily displayed at any gallery, museum or exhibition.”
Mr. Nawinna explained said that an ornament on top of the statue’s head, known as the ‘Siraspatha’ had come out when it had toppled inside its glass enclosure when museum officials had tried to shift it. He said the damage had already been attended to.
However the minister insisted that the officials should not be blamed for what happened as they had followed the necessary procedures.
The Chief Incumbent of the Nalandarama Temple in Nugegoda, Ven. Thiniyawala Palitha Thera, whose name was associated with the move to exhibit the statue at Temple Trees insisted he had no role in it. “I was part of the delegation that went to Pakistan to bring the Sacred Relics from Taxila museum in Pakistan. The exposition at Temple Trees was organised by a committee headed by the Prime Minister’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake. I was not part of this committee,” he insisted.
Several calls to Ms. Kasthuriarachchi on Friday, by the Sunday Times were answered by officials at the Museum who said she was attending meetings. Calls to her mobile phone and text messages yesterday went unanswered.