A civil society collective has called for a fair and independent investigation into the sexual-abuse allegations against Anuradhapura Atamasthanadhipathi Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, framing the May 22 court hearing as “a test of whether Sri Lanka’s law applies equally to the powerful and the powerless.”
In a joint statement released on May 19, the collective said information shared by the girl indicated she had faced abuse from a very young age — describing the alleged conduct as “a grave crime against a child and a moral failure of institutions meant to protect her.” It pointed to a stark power imbalance between an influential religious figure and a vulnerable girl from a disadvantaged background, arguing that the case raises broader questions about whether justice can be enforced without bias.
Public concern, the statement said, has intensified over reports that police were initially reluctant to execute the court’s arrest order and that the suspect was kept in a private hospital after his arrest, “creating perceptions of unequal treatment.” It cited a recent Supreme Court ruling against a university professor convicted of sexual abuse as an example of the institutional barriers victims face when challenging entrenched authority.
The collective set out three demands: an independent investigation free from political, religious or institutional influence; immediate legal, psychological and social protection for the girl; and a process driven by truth and fairness rather than status. “No one should stand above the law, whether priest or layperson,” it said.
The statement concluded that the government, which came to office promising safety and dignity for women and children, must “prove those promises were genuine” by ensuring equal enforcement of the law.
Hemarathana Thera, the chief custodian of Anuradhapura’s eight sacred sites, was arrested on May 8 after the National Child Protection Authority moved court over police delays. He has been held on remand since May 13, with bail denied at a May 15 Anuradhapura hearing. The NCPA earlier said it would not interfere in court proceedings. The next hearing is set for May 22 at the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court.
Source: Newswire.
