Monks want slaughter houses closed

The Sihala Ravaya, a group comprising of Buddhist monks, have called for the closure of slaughter houses until, at least, the final rites are carried out on the monk who died after setting himself on fire in Kandy.
Sihala Ravaya National Organizer Venerable Akmeemana Dayaratne thera said that a formal request has already been made to the government in this regard.
He said that some slaughter houses in parts of the country had been approached by the Sihala Ravaya and they had agreed to the request.
Bohowatte Indararatna thero, a member of the Sihala Ravaya, succumbed to his injuries in hospital on Saturday after he set himself on fire outside the Kandy Dalada Maligawa Temple on Friday demanding a ban on cattle slaughter.
He was receiving treatment at the Colombo national hospital when he succumbed to his injuries.
The Sihala Ravaya protested yesterday over the transfer of the body of the monk from Colombo.
The body, which was at a funeral parlor in Borella, was transferred to Ratnapura for the final rites. (Colombo Gazette)
Report by Indika Sri Aravinda