In a recent feature by the state owned Daily News, the Sri Lankan Army was commended for being at the forefront of nurturing Buddhism across the country.

The article titled, “SL Army’s dedicated service to Buddhism,” praises the army’s “unstinted commitment [to Buddhism] since 1949” by recounting recent projects.

As calls for the Sri Lankan military to demilitarise the Vanni continue, the army announced that it had refurbished the ‘Corporal’s Club’ building at its headquarters in Kilinochchi last month.

The Pacific Command Augmentation Team of the Embassy of the United States visited the Sri Lankan security forces headquarters in Kilinochchi last month, reports an official military website.

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena told a group of Buddhist monks this week that “duties and responsibilities towards Buddhism and the Sangha will be fulfilled”.

The Sri Lankan government formally ended the posting of its former Defence Attaché  Brigadier Priyanka Fernando  last month, confirmed a British minister, after he was caught on video threatening Tamil protestors in London .

Mark Field, the current British Minister of State for Asia and the Pacific confirmed that “the former Defence Attaché's posting to London was formally ended by the Government of Sri Lanka on 15 April”.

“No successor has yet been appointed,” he added.

Tamils in Jaffna held a demonstration on Friday in solidarity with protesters in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu who were shot by police officers. 

Despite concerns raised about its role in civilian life in the North-East, the Sri Lankan military announced this week it was looking to recruit Tamil women into farming work. 

The military advertised the role stating that women under the age of 33 can apply. 

Increasing its presence in cilivian life the Sri Lankan army distributed cement packets to temples in Jaffna this week. 

Over 600 cement packets were given to 30 temples at an event on May 23 at Vasavilaan Central School. 

Several Sri Lankan government websites were hacked on May 18, with messages left commemorating the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils by Sri Lankan security forces 9 years ago in Mullivaikkal.

US president Donald Trump has nominated Alaina Teplitz to be the next US ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Ms Teplitz, the current US ambassador to Nepal, is reported to be a career diplomat and has been with the US State Department since 1991.