The Registrars of the three main Buddhist chapters in Sri Lanka have formally asked the 23 monks held in remand custody over allegations of smuggling narcotics from Thailand to voluntarily disrobe and return to lay life, the most direct intervention yet by the Sangha hierarchy in the unfolding scandal.
Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thero, Registrar of the Asgiriya Chapter, made the announcement at a ceremony to confer the title of Sanghakirthi Sri Saranankara Devarakkhitha on Ven. Mahaoya Jinarathana Thero, who was appointed Chief Sanghanayaka of Wellassa, Bintenna and the Eastern Province.
The Thero said that following discussions with the President and the Attorney General, the registrars of the three chapters visited the suspects in remand and conveyed the request, with an assurance that any monk later found not guilty would be permitted to return to monkhood.
“We informed them that their actions have brought great disrepute to the Sasana, not only within this country but also internationally. Therefore, we asked them to disrobe voluntarily and promised that if they are found innocent, they would be permitted to be ordained again,” he said.
The Thero added that four or five of the suspects had refused the request, and noted that a large number of those involved are samanera (novice) monks who he believes “may have been influenced or subjected to external pressure.” He said the Sangha community was facing a significant challenge in determining how to expel offenders from the Sasana, particularly when accused monks appeared in court “wearing robes and covering their heads.”
The intervention follows the arrest of 22 monks at Bandaranaike International Airport returning from Bangkok with narcotics, the subsequent remand of the alleged financier Mahmoud at Negombo court on May 14, and court appearances of the 23 monks earlier this week.
