• Says religious laws should not be changed haphazardly

The Asgiri Chapter of the Siam Sector yesterday stated that amending religious laws that have been prevailing for millennia, should not be carried out haphazardly, further adding that the religious orders also need more time to decide about introducing a new minimum age requirement for ordaining children as monks.

The opinion expressed by the Asgiri Chapter comes in the wake of Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Vidura Wickramanayaka stating that the government was considering introducing a minimum age requirement for ordaining children as monks.

Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (18), the Secretary of the Supreme Sangha Council - Asgiri Maha Viharaya, Ven. Medagama Dhammananda Thera said that, however, a final decision in this regard will be reached after consulting all the other sectors, taking this as an important matter that affects the Buddhasasana.

“The proposal was submitted by the Minister of Buddhasasana Vidura Wickremanayake when he met the Chief Prelates of the Asgiriya and Malwatu Chapters recently. So we informed him that we need some time to reach a final decision. However, according to the current disciplinary laws, novice monks are ordained at the age of seven. These laws have a very rich history and those have been in the system for millennia. So those laws cannot be changed easily,” he said.

Meanwhile, when contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday, the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) Chairman Udayakumara Amarasinghe said that they are looking forward to provide the relevant authorities with the opinion of the NCPA and the legal background and the provisions included in the local and international laws related to this matter. He also said that NCPA has not yet taken a decision on what the “minimum” age should be as it could be a controversial matter.

“The NCPA has not particularly discussed this matter with any Government institution. But earlier we had instructed the relevant authorities to take immediate actions to prevent the incidents reported regarding the sexual abuse of novice monks. The idea of introducing a minimum age for ordaining novice monks was followed by many incidents, mainly the sexual abuse and using these monks for various purposes,” he explained.

Citing the increased incidence of assaults, physical, verbal and sexual abuse and harassment, against novice monks (samaneras) within temples, Amarasinghe also opined that it is the responsibility of the relevant clergy to take measures within the institution of the temples and their respective orders, to prevent such.