by Our Correspondent in Colombo
Buddhist monks leading the ‘Freedom Pilgrimage’ have begun an open-ended protest outside Sri Lanka’s President’s Secretariat in Colombo, demanding the release of Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, the imprisoned general secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena organisation. The monks have erected tents, occupied the road outside the government complex and vowed to remain until President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration addresses their demand for a presidential pardon.
The demonstration followed a six-day march from Kandy to Colombo, which reached the Secretariat on the afternoon of 15 October. The arrival of the monks and other protesters created a tense atmosphere around the government premises, prompting the deployment of additional police personnel, security cordons and roadblocks. Traffic congestion was reported along Galle Face Road near the Secretariat as the procession reached its destination.
The pilgrimage began on 10 October near the statue of Venerable Wariyapola Sri Sumangala Thera within the historic Sri Dalada Maligawa complex in Kandy. On its sixth day, the procession set off from Kadawatha and passed through Kiribathgoda, Peliyagoda, Maligawatta and Maradana before proceeding towards the presidential offices. After arriving, the monks conducted a Buddhist blessing and chanting ceremony before intensifying their protest over the government’s response to their demand.
The central issue is the legal status of a presidential pardon that former president Maithripala Sirisena granted to Gnanasara Thera. The monks contend that the earlier pardon contains a technical defect and want the government to correct it. They have asked the authorities to specify how long the process will take and to provide an official statement setting out the government’s position.
President’s Secretary Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake met representatives of the protesting clergy and accepted a memorandum outlining their demands. After receiving the document, he said he would discuss its contents with the President and return with a response. However, the protesters were subsequently informed that a decision on their request could take up to a month, prompting them to declare that they would remain outside the Secretariat throughout that period.
The monks have also demanded a formal statement from the President’s Secretary specifying a definite date for a response. They said they would not leave the premises until such a commitment was provided. As the discussions continued without an agreement, some of the protesters sat on the road outside the Secretariat to demonstrate their opposition to what they regarded as an inadequate response from the authorities.
The confrontation intensified when the monks met Prabath Chandrakeerthi, the President’s Chief of Staff, at approximately 7.04pm on 15 October. The discussions ended without agreement, with Chandrakeerthi explaining that the matter would require time and that the government had to follow the applicable legal process.
“The time frame cannot be specified by either the President or me. It is not a long period. The request has to be dealt with according to the law of the country, and there is a legal process. A presidential pardon is in accordance with the Constitution. The legal process must be followed properly. We will act according to the legal position in the country,” he said.
The Chief of Staff’s remarks did not satisfy the protesting monks, who maintained that the government should provide a clearer timetable for resolving the matter. Their insistence on a specific date contrasted with the administration’s position that the request had to proceed through the relevant legal channels and that the duration could not yet be determined.
Earlier, Kumanayake had also told the monks that he could not provide a definitive answer immediately. Although he undertook to consult the President after receiving their memorandum, the subsequent indication that a decision could take a month left the protesters unwilling to suspend their campaign.
Venerable Ulapane Sumangala Thera issued a forceful warning to the government as the demonstration gathered momentum, rejecting further discussions or delays that did not produce a concrete outcome. “We are staying here. Even if we are killed, we will not get up from here. From this moment, the struggle begins. We are prepared even to sacrifice our lives for this,” he told the assembled crowd.
Following the unsuccessful meeting with the Chief of Staff, the monks announced that they would remain at the site overnight and continue chanting Buddhist protective prayers until morning. Tents were erected outside the Secretariat as members of the group settled in for an extended occupation, while police maintained security around the government complex.
The protesters have said their presence will continue until the government formally addresses their demand concerning Gnanasara Thera’s earlier pardon. Despite the discussions with senior presidential officials, no agreement had been reached by the evening of 15 October, and the monks remained outside the Secretariat awaiting a response.
