Protestors in Jaffna blocked attempts by the Sri Lankan military to survey an area of land which was reportedly due to be taken over by the government on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka's minister of cultural affairs, S B Navinna waned against 'lewd behaviour' at Colombo's Independence Square.

“Wedding couples also use this area for photographs after getting permission. That is alright. There are warnings against lewd behaviour anyhow,” he was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying.

Sri Lanka's Civil Security Department opened a Hindu temple in Kilinochchi on Saturday as well as laying the foundation stone in another temple in Vishwamadu.

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The Sri Lankan government has reintroduced war-time security checks and road blocks in Colombo, reportedly to deal with organised crime and narcotics trade.

“The objective is to prevent serious crime and drug smuggling as well as to catch those committing serious crime,” the police spokesperson, Ruwan Gunasekara was quoted by the Guardian as saying, adding that over 100 police stations in Colombo had been ordered to introduce road blocks.

The government was elected in 2015 to power pledging good governance and transparency.

Tamil demonstrators gathered in front of a United Nations office in Jaffna last week to rally behind Inner City Press journalist Matthew Lee, after he was reportedly ejected from a UN meeting and his press pass revoked.

Northern Provincial Councillors Ananthy Sasitharan and M.K. Shivajilingam led a protest in support of the independent journalist. In a letter addressed to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, Ms Sasitharan said she was concerned to learn that the revoking of Mr Lee's press pass took place “without due process”.