• Omalpe Sobitha reads riot act to pastor

In the wake of the parents of Pastor Jerome Fernando, the latter who allegedly made a statement insulting Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, requesting to coordinate a meeting with the Chief Prelates (Mahanayakas) of the main Buddhist Sects, to apologise for the controversial statements made by their son, the Chief Prelate of the Ramanna Sect – Southern Province, Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera said that it is Fernando who should apologise, and not his parents.

Fernando caused controversy by making a statement allegedly insulting Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, and their founders. While Fernando left the country soon after the incident, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is probing him based on several allegations, including those of money laundering.

Against this backdrop, Fernando's parents had met with Sobhitha Thera on 18 August, seeking his intervention to arrange an opportunity for them to meet the Chief Prelates of the Asgiri and Malwathu Chapters of the Siam Sect, and the Ramanna and Amarapura Sects to make an apology over Fernando's statement.

Speaking to the media, Windy Fernando said: "We went to meet Sobhitha Thera on 18 August. We went to learn how we can meet the Chief Prelates. He promised us that he would intervene. We apologised to him (Sobhitha Thera) too, and are ready to apologise to everyone who was hurt, including those who lodged complaints against Fernando and those who speak against us. It is to love everyone that God has taught us, and not to hate. So, we love even those who hate us. We are ready to apologise to the entire country." Speaking further, she claimed that Fernando did not flee the country, and that he left the country to attend planned affairs in several countries. "Fernando did not flee. He went to attend programmes that had been planned months ago. There is proof for it. He is delivering services in a few countries at present. He has apologised over this statement twice online. I am sure that he will apologise again as soon as he is back in Sri Lanka."

When contacted by The Daily Morning, Sobhitha Thera said that he could not forgive anyone for something that affected Buddhism. "If someone had insulted me, I could have forgiven them, but, I cannot forgive a common cause. This is a matter about Buddhism and we cannot make decisions about it alone. It is the Chief Prelates who are mainly the responsible parties with regard to matters pertaining to Buddhism. Therefore, there is no point in them apologising to me, they should instead apologise to the Chief Prelates." In response to a query as to whether he would coordinate a meeting between the Chief Prelates and Fernando's parents, he said: "It is the person who committed the offence who should apologise. Parents are not able to apologise for their son's mistake. First of all, Fernando should return to Sri Lanka and make a statement admitting his wrongdoing. He can then meet the Chief Prelates and apologise to them. His parents also need to meet them for an initial discussion. I said that I would try to arrange an opportunity for it."

Video footage related to a sermon delivered by Fernando in front of his congregation, which was being widely circulated on social media platforms in early May of this year (2023), stirred controversy, due to allegations that it included derogatory statements related to Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam. Considering the allegations levelled against him by several parties, President and Defence Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had ordered the CID to launch an immediate investigation, after which the CID had obtained an arrest warrant and a foreign travel ban on him on 17 May. Fernando had, however, left the country by that time.