The Abolition of Colonial and Pre-Colonial ‘Slavery’ From Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

Abstract

Slavery existed in Sri Lanka from ancient times down to the modern period, roughly from the second century and until the mid-nineteenth century. But the institution of slavery showed wide variation in the conditions of individuals and modes of enslavement and also in ownership over the centuries. A clear change could be perceived in the type of servitude among the Sinhalese, especially during the pre-colonial period and in the mode of servitude introduced and practised by the colonialists from the sixteenth century onwards. The article examines these differences in order to understand why and how this system of servitude, which was present from ancient times, came to an end during the colonial period of British supremacy in Ceylon.Slavery in Ceylon differed fundamentally from plantation slavery as it had existed in the West Indies and Mauritius, and as it then existed in the Americas. Immeasurably milder in form, its abolition was easier because there was no formidable vested interest entrenched in the British Parliament to defend its existence, and besides, the abolition of slavery in the Empire in 1833 (though the Eastern Empire was specifically excluded from the operation of the Act) made it inevitable that slavery in Ceylon could not much longer survive. 2 K.M. de Silva's statement may appear surprising to a reader unfamiliar with Sinhalese history. Here, the reference is to both the colonial and the pre-colonial servitude that prevailed in the island before and during the time of British dominion. It may also immediately strike the reader that if slavery was 'mild', then what necessitated its abolition? The article aims to answer this question. By the time the British were drawing up plans to abolish slavery from Sri Lanka, there were two major ethnic communities possessing different kinds of unfree groups in the island:• native Sinhalese in the middle of the island and • European invaders in the coastal belt of the island.WICKRAMASINGHE The Abolition of Colonial and Pre-colonial 'Slavery' from Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

Liberalism's distinctive policy for governing Muslim populations: Human rights, religious reform, and counter‐terrorism from the colonial era until the present

“…These violations included restrictions on religious freedom, slavery/caste‐servitude, polygamy/concubinage, and minor marriage, which were endorsed by many nineteenth‐century Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists with support from their religious traditions (see Brumberg, 1982; Burton, 1994, esp. 7–8; Makdisi, 2008; Stevens, 2016; Wickramasinghe, 2010; Woodberry, 2012).…”

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“…On rajakariya, see M. U. de Silva (1992-93), C. S. M. Wickramasinghe (2010), and Wickremaratne (1996).…”