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Friday, October 16 2026
Friday, October 16 2026
MONETABRIEF – The Colombo Fort magistrate ordered the eviction of some 55 monks laying siege to the Presidential Secretariat to demand a pardon for their convicted colleague, Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara.
Magistrate Pasan Amarasena asked police to remove the monks, who had set up yellow tents outside the Secretariat since Thursday night.
Seated on plastic chairs, the monks were seen eating breakfast offered by their lay supporters.
The unusual sit-in protest by the monks has renewed a social-media debate over the role of monks in politics. The latest protest is backed by opposition politicians Udaya Gammanpila and Wimal Weerawansa, who joined the monks’ march from Kandy to Colombo.
The two former MPs walked with the protesting monks from Kiribathgoda to Colombo on the final day of their six-day march from Kandy.
Police stopped the monks at barricades outside President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s office. Presidential Secretary Nandika Kumanayake came out to meet them, but some protesters used unprintable language towards the senior official.
The protesters are demanding a pardon for Gnanasara, who was convicted of contempt of court and is serving the remainder of a six-year prison term after the Supreme Court annulled an earlier presidential pardon.
The President's aides told the monks that a response could take about a month, but the protesters said that was too long. The President was not in his office; his aides said he was away from Colombo on an official visit. (Colombo/Oct 16/2026)
| 3 month bill | 9.26% | 1bp ▲ |
| 12-m bill | 9.95% | 2bp - |
| Gold (Ounce) | $4187 | - ▼ |
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