NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW — NOT EVEN THE SAFFRON ROBE..!
Religious Sanctity Must Never Become a Sanctuary for Criminality
(By Roger Srivasan | Opinion)
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Monks or no monks, priests, bishops, pastors, imams or any other religious dignitaries, those convicted of heinous, abhorrent, depraved, despicable and morally repugnant sexual offences must be publicly condemned, unequivocally denounced and subjected to the full rigour of the law.
Neither the sanctity of religious office nor the ostentatious trappings of piety should confer immunity from criminal accountability. Those who exploit positions of spiritual authority to perpetrate such unconscionable acts deserve public opprobrium, stringent punishment and permanent disqualification from positions of trust.
Religious vestments must never become a cloak for depravity, nor should the altar become a sanctuary for sexual predators.
The recent meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and representatives of the Maha Sangha raises a fundamental constitutional principle: the supremacy of the law over religious privilege.
The President reportedly made clear that he would not circumvent existing prison regulations to accommodate particular individuals, while agreeing to examine possible legislative reforms through established procedures. This distinction between lawful reform and executive favouritism deserves recognition.
The Maha Sangha is entitled to raise legitimate questions concerning religious observances and the treatment of incarcerated monks. However, no religious institution should campaign for immunity from criminal accountability or preferential treatment that undermines equality before the law.
Meanwhile, Australian justice has delivered a sobering reminder. On 8 October 2026, a Melbourne court sentenced 71-year-old Sri Lankan Buddhist monk Naotunne Vijitha to 13 years and two months in prison for sexually abusing six young girls. His religious standing afforded him no exemption from judicial accountability.
The protection of children, the dignity of victims and the administration of justice must invariably take precedence over ecclesiastical prestige.
And finally, confronted with such unspeakable depravity, I confess that one particularly drastic word springs unbidden to mind: CASTRATION! An expression of moral revulsion, not a substitute for lawful punishment.
No, no, no! NOT EVEN MONKS ARE SPARED OR EXEMPTED FROM THE LAW..! Unapologetically polemical, yet meticulously reasoned.