Monk Uduwe Dhammaloka Forcibly Occupying Allen Methiniyaramaya Temple
September 9, 2016
Buddhist monk Uduwe Dhammaloka, who is currently out on bail for possessing a baby elephant without a valid license, is alleged to be forcibly occupying the Allen Methiniyaramaya Temple in Vijaya Kumaranatunga Mawatha, Kirulapone,
Uduwe Dhammaloka
According to a case filed at the District Court of Colombo by Dr. Brahmanawatte Seevali Tissa Thero, Dhammaloka is alleged to have stormed the temple on the night of 06.01.2009 along with a group of thugs and had threatened Tissa Thero and chased him out of the Temple. Tissa Thero had then fled the Temple fearing for his life, as he was threatened with bodily harm and death.
In a statement given to the court, Tissa Thero said that at the time the incident occurred, Dhammaloka was a Member of Parliament supporting the then Government of Mahinda Rajapaksa. According to Tissa Thero the persons who stormed the Temple included uniformed Army and Navy Personnel.
Though Tissa Thero had immediately lodged a complaint against the incident at the Kirulapone Police Station, the Police had not taken any action against the incident as Dhammaloka was an influential person at that time.
As a last resort Tissa Thero instituted legal action and lodged a case bearing No: DLM 00068/2012 in the District Court of Colombo against Dhammaloka.
When the case was taken up in the District Court of Colombo on September 8, Tissa Thero said that Dhammaloka stormed the Temple on 06.01.2009 along with a group of thugs and armed forces personnel (including uniformed Army and Navy officers) and threatened him and forced him out of the Temple. He stated that the group of thugs who stormed the Temple exposed their private parts at him thereby humiliating him.
He also told court that Dhammaloka was close to the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother the then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and both of them extended their fullest support and patronage to Dhammaloka. Both the ex President and the ex Secretary Defence had attended numerous functions held at the said Temple, organized by Dhammaloka, at that time clearly indicating that they endorsed the highhanded and illegal activities of Dhammaloka.
