Sri Lanka's top monk suspended over alleged child sex abuse
A senior monk in Sri Lanka has been suspended over allegations of sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl. Pallegama Hemarathana, aged 71, was stripped of his responsibilities as the chief custodian of a revered tree linked to the Buddha. This case has raised concerns about child abuse within the clergy in the country.
- ▪Pallegama Hemarathana was suspended by the Council of Monks of the Malwatte Chapter.
- ▪He was arrested on May 9 for allegedly abusing a girl at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi temple in 2022.
- ▪Hemarathana has been granted bail but is barred from traveling abroad.
3 outlets in our directory ran this story, first to last over 3 hours. Coverage spans 2 points on the political spectrum — 1 lean left, 1 centre.
- ▪ Senior Sri Lankan monk suspended over child sex abuse allegation — Al Jazeera English
- ▪ Sri Lanka’s top monk suspended over alleged child sex abuse — South China Morning Post
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| Original publisher | The Hindu — Top |
| Canonical URL | https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sri-lankas-top-monk-suspended-over-alleged-child-sex-abuse/article71041563.ece |
| Publication time | Sat, 30 May 2026 18:42:48 +0530 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-30T13:19:38.034Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-30T13:19:38.034Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Sri Lanka's Buddhist hierarchy suspended on Saturday (May 30, 2026) a senior monk accused of sexually abusing an 11-year-old girl, in a high-profile case that has shocked the religiously conservative nation.In a rare disciplinary move, 71-year-old Pallegama Hemarathana was stripped of his responsibilities as the chief custodian of a highly venerated ficus grown from a sapling of a tree believed to have sheltered the Buddha."The Council of Monks of the Malwatte Chapter decided today to suspend Ven.
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