A Sinhala Buddhist monk has launched a hunger strike in Tangalle demanding the restoration of state security for former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, following the government’s recent decision to scale back protection for former heads of state.
Theripahala Siridhamma of Rathupaswala began his protest on Tuesday afternoon in front of the D. S. Senanayake statue, opposite Carlton House - the Rajapaksa family’s residence in Tangalle. The monk reportedly began his fast at around 1 p.m., declaring that he would continue until Rajapaksa’s security detail is reinstated.
Siridhamma condemned the withdrawal of Rajapaksa’s military escort as “unacceptable,” claiming that the decision endangered the former president’s safety. “The decision to remove security for a former head of state who once served the nation is wrong,” the monk told local reporters.
The protest after the government’s move to slash perks and security benefits previously provided to former presidents. Earlier this month, Mahinda Rajapaksa returned a state-issued bulletproof vehicle after his privileges were reduced, while his military protection was replaced with a police unit.
Rajapaksa, an accused war criminal, and his allies have fiercely criticised the ruling administration, accusing it of engaging in “political terrorism” by targeting him and other members of the former regime.
The monk’s protest underscores the discontent among Sinhala nationalist circles against the decision, reflecting Rajapaksa’s enduring influence in the south of the island despite his fall from power.
Rajapaksa, who ruled from 2005 to 2015, presided over the final phase of armed conflict in 2009, during which tens of thousands of Tamils were massacred in what is being increasingly recognised as a genocide.
He has since faced calls for international accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
