Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships docked in Colombo last week, where they were welcomed by the Sri Lankan navy.

Sri Lankan navy officers and Buddhist monks held a religious ceremony in Nainativu, where the extension of a Buddhist temple was officially declared open last week.

The “alms hall” of the Purana Rajamaha Viharaya, situated in the Jaffna peninsula islet, was declared open on the Buddhist Bak Full Moon Poya Day. According to the Sri Lankan navy, construction of the hall was carried out by “civil engineering personnel of the SLN”.

The Sri Lankan navy continued to say the construction, “fulfils (sic) a long-felt need of the historic temple and enables devotees to offer alms to the Maha Sangha at a spacious building, which is equipped with all facilities required for the purpose.”

Stating that the Sri Lankan military's police powers would cease, the government said that the additional was unnecessary as using the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the "armed forces could be drawn back to maintain law and order in extreme instances where the police were unable to manage".

“We will bring back the armed forces under the Prevention of Terrorism Act if the situation arises,” the cabinet spokesperson, Rajitha Senaratne was quoted by Sri Lanka's Sunday Times as saying.

Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, who has been accused of selling weapons to pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, has had his diplomatic passport withdrawn, reports ColomboPage.

Mr Weeratunga, whose whereabouts are currently unknown, was accused of playing a key role in supplying the separatists with weapons, including assault rifles and other small arms during his tenure.

The Ukrainian government had lodged a complaint with the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry in Colombo, reported the Sunday Times, with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera pledging “a full investigation into this matter”.