A Buddhist ceremony was held at the Sri Lankan army’s headquarters in Batticaloa earlier this year, to “invoke blessings” on Sri Lankan soldiers.
An all-night chanting ceremony say 18 senior Buddhist monks at the military base, were soldiers dressed in all white offered them alms.
Buddhist monks have long been linked with the Sri Lankan military, which is almost entirely Sinhalese, with Buddhist ceremonies frequently being held at military bases in the North-East, a traditionally Tamil region. Sri Lankan troops have also been increasingly involved in the construction of Buddhist temples and stupas across the North-East.
