The Asgiriya Buddhist Chapter has been urged to act swiftly against the use of novice monks for political purposes.
The Child Protection Alliance has written to head of the chapter, Most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanaratana Thera in this regard.
The most immediate incident the Alliance has cited in the letter is presidential candidate Namal Rajapaksa’s having posted on facebook a picture of him with a group of Samanera monks at Asgiriya Pirivena on 18 August.
Quoting from the UN convention on the rights of the child to which Sri Lanka is a signatory, the Alliance said the incident was a clear violation of the clause against using children for political purposes.
No action has been taken against the incident, it noted.
The Alliance urges that every presidential candidate be told to safeguard rights of novice monks.
