Opposition Leader urges executive action to resolve standoff over protesting monks

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to step in personally after police dismantled a temporary shelter erected by Buddhist monks protesting outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.

The demonstration, organized to demand the immediate release of the imprisoned Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, saw members of the clergy and their supporters gather at the site following a march from Kandy.

Tensions escalated on Thursday afternoon when law enforcement officers removed a makeshift structure intended to house a Buddha statue brought by the demonstrators, a move that drew sharp criticism from political figures and sparked widespread disquiet among those present.

In a statement released on Thursday (15), the Opposition Leader condemned the actions of the security forces, describing the removal of the shelter and the reported arrest of several individuals as undemocratic.

Premadasa said that state authorities and law enforcement must immediately halt any measures that cause harassment or distress to the clergy, emphasizing that administrative actions should respect the traditional standing of the Buddhist robe.

He urged President Dissanayake to initiate direct dialogue with representatives of the Maha Sangha to resolve the ongoing impasse amicably, rather than relying on heavy-handed security interventions to manage the demonstration.

The protest forms part of a campaign organized by Buddhist clergy seeking the release of Ven. Gnanasara Thera, who remains in custody following his conviction under state laws.

Demonstrators have maintained a continuous presence near the executive office, insisting that they will remain staged outside the building until executive officials provide a definitive outcome.

Despite police actions to clear temporary structures from the roadway, the clergy and their supporters have resolved to continue their sit-in, maintaining pressure on the administration to address their grievances directly.