COLOMBO, Oct. 15 -- Buddhist monks staged a protest outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Thursday (15), demanding written assurances from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera would be granted a presidential pardon and released from prison.

The monks also called for guarantees that the religious rights of Buddhist monks would be protected and due respect accorded to the saffron robe.

The protest followed a six-day foot march from Kandy to Colombo under the banner 'Justice for the Saffron Robe - March for Freedom', which began on October 10 and reached the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday amid heavy rain.

When the monks arrived at the Secretariat's...