But with Rajapaksa in exile in Singapore and life returning closer to normal, decades-old questions are being raised about Buddhism's role in Sri Lanka's government.
One video taken from Batarramulla in April shows a monk, a former ally of Rajapaksa's and leader of the nationalist Janasetha Peramuna party, being scolded and pushed out of the protests. A man in the video can be heard saying "It is because of the people like you, we suffer today like this." Dharmapala's goals were realized with the 1956 Sinhala Only Act and further enshrined in Sri Lanka's 1972 constitution, which privileged Buddhism over other religions, essentially cementing an ethno-religious majoritarian state.
As the economic situation has devolved in Sri Lanka, monks have come to play an increasingly important role in day-to-day life. In rural areas, temples can be the sole resource for villagers who otherwise lack access to news on political developments. In urban areas, where the education system has largely collapsed, some temples run dharma schools for children.
"People do not have enough food for themselves, but bring the best thing for monks. I have so much lovingkindness for these people. They have a lot of faith, and they might have some problems with monks, but they've never stopped with alms," said Vineetha.
Protests of Buddhist monks during Vietnamese war was a major force for chane.
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