Members of the Sinhala group, Sinhala Ravaya, protested at Kurgala on Saturday, calling for the removal of a mosque it alleges was built on an ancient Buddhist site.

The group, which included Buddhist monks, clashed with police who deployed teargas against the protestors, as they attempted to reach the site according to reports.

“We wanted to ensure that artefacts are preserved," said one of the protesting monks. "We want to remove the mosque and place a Buddha statue at the site.”

Earlier this year, another Buddhist nationalist Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), threatened to destroy the mosque at Kuragala, in order to stop “these infidel Muslims” from running riot.

Former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said the Tamil National Alliance needs to "shout once in a while" to keep their identity, when she was questioned about concerns raised by the TNA on the pace and direction of government efforts to address Tamil issues.

Speaking to The Hindu, Ms Kumaratunga, who is working closely with the new regime, stressed that in her view engagement between the government and the TNA has been "excellent".

“They [the TNA] have to shout once in a while to keep their identity but we have very good relations,” she said.

The US Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Tom Malinowski said Sri Lanka has a chance to achieve peace and reconciliation, but that this will require accounting for the "wrongdoing of the guilty", on all sides.

Mr Malinowski is currently in Sri Lanka and met with government officials on Thursday before arriving in the North-East on Friday, where he paid respects to those who died in Mullaitivu.

China has welcomed Sri Lanka’s announcement that exiled Tibetan leader the  Dalai Lama was unlikely to be allowed to visit Sri Lanka, reports Colombo Page.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying, speaking on Friday,  said,

“The Sri Lankan side fully understands and respects China’s concerns on relevant issues, and we appreciate that.”

“The Chinese government is firmly opposed to Dalai’s engagement in separatist activities in any country under any name and excuse. This remains clear and consistent,” she added.

Speaking to Reuters, a senior Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry official said that Sri Lanka-China relations were more important than the Dalai Lama and that Sri Lanka had not changed stance on its once China policy.

Sri Lanka ordered a review of 35 Chinese investment projects, which were approved by the previous government, on Friday.

A cabinet note, given to Reuters, said that the Sri Lankan government was to review a list of 35 investment projects which had been approved without competitive bidding on the grounds that they were critical for post-war development.

Sri Lanka’s cabinet spokesperson, Rajitha Senaratne said on Friday that all future investment projects would be awarded using a process of open tenders.