Buddhist Monks Urge Government to Resolve Gnanasara Thero’s Robe Removal Dispute Peacefully

Colombo Monks Condemn Removal of Buddhist Monk’s Robe and Call for Peaceful Resolution

A group of Buddhist monks representing the three major Buddhist monastic fraternities in the Colombo area has strongly condemned the removal of a monk's robe, calling on the Government to intervene and resolve the matter peacefully.

At a media briefing held at the Jayasekararamaya Temple in Kuppiyawatta, attended by several senior Buddhist monks, the speakers stressed that the removal of a monk’s robe should not be carried out arbitrarily.

The monks argued that the authority to remove the robe from a fully ordained Buddhist monk rests with the leadership of the monastic fraternity to which the monk belongs.

Boralesse Athula Thero Calls for Unity

Boralesse Athula Thero urged the President and the Government to take steps to resolve the matter before it escalates.

He warned that interfering with the robe could create serious unrest and called on all parties to avoid actions that could encourage racial or communal tensions.

“We must not allow this issue to escalate. We, as the Maha Sangha, are requesting a peaceful resolution,” he said.

The Thero also stressed the importance of unity, explaining that political power is temporary and that those in authority should act responsibly.

He called on the public to remain united rather than allowing the dispute to create divisions within society.

Patberiye Wimalagnana Thero Raises Concerns

Patberiye Wimalagnana Thero said the monk concerned had been imprisoned following a court order, and that seeing him in lay clothing had caused considerable distress among members of the Buddhist clergy.

He said Rahul Thero, the Registrar of the Kotte Sangha Sabha, had brought the matter to the attention of the President.

According to Wimalagnana Thero, senior monks representing the various Buddhist monastic fraternities had also informed the President of their concerns regarding the removal of the robe.

He maintained that laypeople did not have the authority to remove the robe of a fully ordained monk, arguing that such authority belonged to the leadership of the relevant monastic fraternity.

He also referred to the case involving Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, saying that what he described as an injustice against the monk had yet to be adequately addressed.

Wimalagnana Thero called for steps to secure the monk’s release and ensure that he was granted full freedom.

Calls for Dialogue and a Fair Solution

Another speaker, a professor whose name was not clearly identified in the supplied material, said that various reports had emerged in the media regarding the current controversy.

He noted that disagreements were a natural part of society, but stressed that resolving them peacefully was what mattered most.

The professor said that while individual monks could be held accountable for wrongdoing, any punishment should be fair and justified. He clarified that the present concern centred on the removal of Gnanasara Thero’s robe rather than opposition to punishment itself.

He also referred to the constitutional protection afforded to Buddhism and urged those in positions of authority not to use their power in ways that could challenge the religion or aggravate social tensions.

The speaker called on the Government to intervene and find a fair solution to the dispute involving Gnanasara Thero before the situation deteriorated further.

Welimada Shantha Thero Appeals to the President

Welimada Shantha Thero appealed directly to the President to grant the monk a pardon and secure his release.

He also referred to a previous presidential decision involving former President Maithripala Sirisena, suggesting that any mistakes in that process should be corrected to facilitate the monk’s release.

The participating monks collectively urged the Government to address their concerns through dialogue and a peaceful resolution, warning against actions that could deepen divisions within society.