Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, states that Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero’s robe was forcibly removed while he was in prison.
Speaking at a press conference in Colombo today (12) which he attended dressed in black Gammanpila further alleged that an opportunity was provided for someone at another location to observe the removal of the Thero’s robe via a mobile phone.
Gammanpila noted that he had visited Welikada Prison on October 8 at the Thero’s request, and that the Thero had explained to him how an attempt was made to remove his robe and dress him in a prison jumpsuit.
He stated that a similar incident had occurred in 2018, during which officials abandoned the attempt after Ven. Gnanasara Thero protested; however, on this occasion, a group of officials had attempted to forcibly dress him in the prison jumpsuit. Gammanpila also revealed that Ven. Gnanasara had told him that, at that time, a prison officer had activated his mobile phone camera to allow someone located elsewhere to observe the incident.
He further stated that, consequently, Ven. Gnanasara was made to wear the prison uniform (jumper) due to pressure from the top leadership of the National People’s Power (NPP), despite the strong objections of both the monk himself and the relevant officers.
Speaking on the matter, Udaya Gammanpila, Leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, stated the following:
“At the request of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero, I visited Welikada Prison on October 8th to meet him. During the visit, he explained to me how the incident where his robes were removed and he was made to wear the prison uniform took place.
Just as in 2018, on this occasion too, the monk voiced his customary objection when the officers attempted to make him wear the prison uniform.” However, unlike in 2018 when officials abandoned the plan in the face of the monk’s opposition this time they were not prepared to back down. Instead, a large group of officers joined forces in an attempt to forcibly dress the monk in the prison uniform.
During this incident, the monk observed an officer activating his mobile phone camera to allow a powerful figure located elsewhere to monitor the officers’ attempt to forcibly dress him in the uniform. We therefore state with full responsibility that the monk was forced into the prison uniform due to pressure from the ‘Malimawa’s’ top leadership, despite the strong reluctance of both the monk and the officers involved.
Ultimately, the monk was deeply distressed when the anda-kada (under-garment) the sole remaining symbol of his monastic identity was removed and placed in his hands. “When the officers reached out to accept the anda-kada [prison-issued sarong], the monk overcome by severe shock threw it upwards instead of handing it to them; it ended up caught in a ceiling fan that was spinning at the time. We wish to emphasize that the act of dressing Ven. Gnanasara in the prison uniform took place due to pressure from higher authorities, despite the strong reluctance of both the monk and the officers involved.”