A senior Asgiri Chapter prelate says monks have taken legal advice and hope a process can be started that leads to a presidential pardon for Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera, who is serving a prison sentence.

Ven. Medagama Dhammananda Thera said senior monks from several monastic orders had discussed the imprisoned monk’s situation and had sought the views of the public and of the Maha Sangha on whether the President could grant a pardon, the Daily Mirror reported at 4.07 p.m. on Tuesday.

“After seeking advice from legal experts, we hope a process will begin that will lead to a presidential pardon for Galabodaatte Gnanasara Thera,” he said.

He said further legal action was needed to resolve the matter, recalling that former President Maithripala Sirisena had granted Gnanasara a pardon after a court verdict, and that a technical error had prevented that process from being completed as intended — the reason the Thera returned to prison.

Why this matters

The intervention is significant because of what the government has already said. Minister Lal Kantha ruled out a pardon on 16 October, and Sirisena himself apologised to the Maha Sangha on 19 October over the technical error in the earlier pardon.

Ven. Dhammananda’s account describes the campaign changing tack rather than abandoning the demand: instead of pressing for an executive act the government has refused, senior monks are taking legal advice on a process that could produce one. He did not say what that process would be, who the legal experts are, or whether a petition or application has been or will be filed.

The satyagraha enters a sixth day

The satyagraha demanding Gnanasara’s release, held at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, was in its sixth day on Wednesday, Hiru News reported at 7.59 a.m. By that count the protest began on 16 October — a date derived from Hiru’s day number rather than stated in the report.

A torch-lit blessing rite calling for his release was held at the same park on Tuesday night.

The park has been the focus of the campaign for some days: a monk, Ven. Balangoda Kassapa, was taken to hospital from the satyagraha on 17 October.

The Buddha Sasana Council met the same day

Hiru also reports that the Buddha Sasana Council met at the Buddha Sasana Ministry on Tuesday, with the participation of the Trinikaya Maha Sangha and headed by Ven. Medagama Dhammananda — the same monk quoted by the Daily Mirror.

Its stated purposes were to obtain the Maha Sangha’s views and proposals on the situation that has arisen in society over the removal of Gnanasara’s robes, and to brief the monks on the steps the government has taken. LankaNewz reported that meeting’s outcome on monastic robe rules separately.

So the same prelate who chaired a meeting convened by the government on Tuesday also said publicly that monks are pursuing a legal route to the pardon the government has refused. Neither filing remarks on that.

A difference in his title

The two outlets give Ven. Medagama Dhammananda different offices. The Daily Mirror calls him the Anunayake — deputy prelate — of the Asgiriya Chapter. Hiru’s Sinhala describes him as Maha Lekhakadhikari, the chief registrar or secretary, of the Asgiri Chapter of the Shyamopali Maha Nikaya, and styles him a Nayaka Thera.

These are not the same post. This desk records the discrepancy rather than choosing between them; neither filing gives enough to settle it.

Not reported

Neither report says what legal process is being contemplated, whether any application has been filed, or which monastic orders took part in the discussions Ven. Dhammananda describes. Neither gives the size of the satyagraha or says who is organising it. Neither reports a government response to the prelate’s statement.

Sources: Asgiriya Anunayake hopes for presidential pardon for Gnanasara Thera — Daily Mirror, October 20, Satyagraha demanding freedom for Ven. Gnanasara Thera enters its sixth day — Hiru News, October 21 (Sinhala).