Sri Lanka Arrests 71-Year-Old Chief Monk Over Alleged Abuse of 11-Year-Old Girl
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 9
Sri Lanka Arrests 71-Year-Old Chief Monk Over Alleged Abuse of 11-Year-Old Girl
8 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 9
Pallegama Hemarathana, 71, was taken into custody from a private Colombo hospital on Saturday in Sri Lanka’s highest-profile case against a Buddhist religious leader over alleged child sexual abuse.
Police say the chief priest is accused of abusing an 11-year-old girl in 2022 at a revered temple in Anuradhapura, while the girl’s mother was also arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting him.
Anuradhapura’s chief magistrate ordered his arrest after child protection authorities complained of delays; Hemarathana had already been barred from foreign travel.
The case adds to scrutiny of Sri Lankan clergy misconduct, coming a month after 22 monks were arrested at Colombo airport in a 110kg cannabis smuggling case.
After arrests for abuse and drug smuggling, is Sri Lanka's Buddhist clergy facing a deep-seated crisis?
How did a revered monk evade justice for years despite serious child abuse allegations?
Can legal reforms truly protect children from powerful figures shielded by a culture of silence?
Sri Lanka’s Chief Prelate Arrested: Child Abuse Allegations, National Outcry, and the Push for Institutional Reform
Overview
The report details the arrest of Venerable Pallegama Hemarathana Thero, chief prelate of Anuradhapura, following a complaint about the alleged abduction and detention of a minor. Police investigations led to the minor being placed in a care center, where official interviews revealed serious allegations of prolonged sexual abuse. These disclosures resulted in the arrest of the chief prelate and sparked national debate about the challenges of holding powerful religious figures accountable. The case highlights the importance of survivor-centered support and calls for stronger child protection and institutional reforms in Sri Lanka.