Slave Island (Sinhala: කොම්පඤ්ඤ වීදිය, Tamil: கொம்பனித்தெரு) also known as Kampong Kertel and Kompanna Veediya[1] is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka, located directly south of the Fort. The suburb contains Beira Lake, a large lake and its esplanade is visited by many for recreation. Slave Island is mostly a commercial area with hotels, shopping centres, street food stalls, and is known for its multicultural, especially Malay heritage.

Slave Island කොම්පඤ්ඤ වීදිය கொம்பனித்தெரு
Suburb
Beira Lake and Slave Island
Slave Island Show map of Central Colombo Slave Island Show map of Greater Colombo Slave Island Show map of Colombo District Slave Island Show map of Sri Lanka
Coordinates: 6°55′37″N 79°50′55″E
Country	Sri Lanka
Province	Western Province
District	Colombo District
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone)
Postal Code	00200

History

The name "Slave Island" was coined during the period of British colonial rule and was a reference to the usage of the island under Portuguese rule as a holding area for African slaves, most of them from the Swahili coast and Portuguese East Africa. Many of these slaves later returned to Africa. However, a small group of African descendants are scattered throughout Sri Lanka and are collectively known as Sri Lankan Kaffirs.[2]

Demographic

Slave Island is a multicultural area known for its mix of Malay, Sinhalese and Tamil cultures and is a traditional Malay cultural district in Colombo.[3][4] The larger ethnic communities in Slave Island are the Sri Lankan Malays, Sri Lankan Muslims and Sinhalese. There are also various minorities, such as Burghers and others. Religions include Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and various other religions and beliefs.

Infrastructure

Slave Island is served by the Slave Island Railway Station. Built with Victorian-era architectural embellishments, the station carries significant architectural and historic value. The building features stylish arches, intricate woodwork and metal installations, which emphasise Victorian-era styles.[5]

Demolitions

Many historic buildings in the Slave Island were either demolished or are awaiting to be demolished due to recent high rise development. Despite the architectural and historic value most buildings are not properly maintained and as a result most have become run down. The shophouse-style buildings in Justice Akbar Mawatha which are to be demolished is said to be the place where D.R. Wijewardene, D.S. Senanayake and Oliver Goonetilleke met to discuss the constitutional reforms that led to Sri Lanka's independence in 1948.[6][7][8]

Military

• Rifle Barracks
• Sri Lanka Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SLEME)

Diplomatic missions

• Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Cyprus
• Embassy of the Kingdom of Thailand
• Honorary Consulate of Madagascar
• Consulate of the Republic of the Philippines
• Royal Norwegian Embassy
• High Commission of New Zealand

Photos

• 
  The Seema Malakaya of the Gangarama Temple in the Beira Lake in the Slave Island area, is one of many religious structures in Colombo

References

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