A complaint has been lodged with the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) and the Police Children and Women Bureau seeking the arrest of Dilum Amunugama over remarks allegedly referring to the victim in the Anuradhapura child abuse case as a “prostitute”.

Executive Director of the “Stop Child Abuse” organisation, Dr. Tush Wickramanayake, said Amunugama’s statement amounted to clear intimidation of the victim.

She stated that such actions constituted a criminal offence under laws relating to the protection of victims and witnesses, and urged both the NCPA and the Police Children and Women Bureau to take immediate legal action.

“We are standing for the child. A crime is a crime regardless of who committed it. The responsibility of a compassionate society is to stand with the victimised child,” Dr. Wickramanayake said.

She further alleged that the manner in which the law was being implemented, along with what she described as “dramas” surrounding the case, indicated that special treatment was being afforded to suspect Pallegama Hemarathana Thera.

“We respect the Atamasthanaya. What we are questioning is the individual named Hemarathana who is using power. We have no issue with religion or the Buddhist clergy. The issue is with institutions showing reluctance to enforce the law against a suspect,” she said.

Dr. Wickramanayake also urged the NCPA and the Police to act swiftly instead of “going in circles” over the matter.