Two senior Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka have reportedly begun a hunger strike in prison following their arrest over the installation of a Buddha statue in Trincomalee, authorities and sources close to the detention said. Venerable Kalyanawansa Tissa Thero, Chief Incumbent of the Sambuddha Jayanthi Viharaya, and Venerable Balangoda Kassapa Thero, remanded until December 19, have refused the alms traditionally offered to them as part of the protest.
The hunger strike is part of a broader satyagraha in detention, with several others, including Sambuddha Jayanthi Viharaya Dayaka Sabha Secretary Viduranga Loku Galappatti, former municipal councillor M.H. Dipani Liyanage, businessman Thilak Perera, N.C. Piyal Hemasiri, and Dulara Gunathilaka, also reportedly participating.
Nine individuals, including four monks, were remanded on December 14 in connection with the December 12, 2025, incident that sparked national attention. Among those detained were Venerable Trincomalee Sukhithawansa Tissa, Registrar of the Trincomalee Regional Shasanarakshaka Bala Mandala, and Venerable Trincomalee Nanda of the Anandarama (Girihadu Seya Branch) Viharaya.
Authorities allege that the installation violated Sri Lanka’s Coastal Conservation and Coastal Resources Management Act. Charges filed in court under Section 28(01) include illegal entry into the coastal zone, unauthorized construction without a permit, and the installation of the Buddha statue without proper authorization. Trincomalee Superintendent of Police J.L. Ajith Kumara and Port Police Chief Inspector Sasanka Samarasinghe presented a B report to the court detailing the allegations, based on a complaint filed by the Coastal Conservation and Coastal Resources Management Department.
Lawyers for the detained monks and associates have requested bail under any conditions, emphasizing the religious and cultural significance of the actions and the detainees’ longstanding roles in the Trincomalee Buddhist community.
