Chemmani (Sri Lanka), Aug 21 (AP) A baby bottle, a squeaky toy, and a schoolbag have emerged from a mass grave site in Sri Lanka's northern region, where 141 human skeletons were found, including those of children.
These discoveries took place at a cremation ground in Chemmani near Jaffna town, the cultural heartland of the ethnic Tamil minority. Although this is not a usual burial spot, given that Hindus primarily use cremation, excavations began in June after human remains were uncovered during construction work for an electric crematorium.
A pit test over nine days found 19 sets of human remains, buried shallowly at about 1.5 meters, disorganized and without clothing, suggesting a mass grave, according to a June court report.
Since securing the area and declaring it a crime scene that month, 141 skeletons have been unearthed over a 165-square-meter area. About 135 bodies had no clothing, with only one set of adult clothing identified. Tests confirmed that a skeleton with a schoolbag belonged to a girl aged 4 to 6. Other items recovered included toddlers' clothing, socks, footwear, bangles, and a baby powder tray.
The identities of the deceased and the cause and timing of their deaths remain unclear. However, many suspect these could be civilians who disappeared during Sri Lanka's civil war, which erupted in 1983 between government forces and ethnic Tamil rebels and ended in 2009.
Several Tamil armed groups and an Indian peacekeeping mission were active in the area over the decades. However, suspicion has mostly focused on the Sri Lankan military, which had a strong presence in Chemmani, the gateway to Jaffna town.
Decades-old confession heightens suspicions. A confession by an army soldier, sentenced to death for rape and murder 27 years ago, added fuel to suspicions about the site. In 1998, Somaratne Rajapakse and four alleged accomplices were sentenced for the gang rape and murder of a schoolgirl and the killing of her family and a neighbor.
The five, spared execution due to a moratorium, claimed they did not commit the crimes but were merely disposing of bodies under orders. Rajapakse told the court he knew where up to 400 bodies were buried in Chemmani.
"We cannot say exactly who the perpetrators are yet, but the finger points to the (state) army," says Brito Fernando, an activist for families of disappeared persons during conflicts in Sri Lanka.
The area, including the cremation ground, was under military control from 1996, when Jaffna was captured from rebels, until after the war ended in 2009. The military operated checkpoints, searching anyone who entered or left.
In 1999, Rajapakse led police to the burial site of the schoolgirl, her family, and the neighbor, and to other locations where more remains were found. Investigations were abruptly halted.
Families seek closure. Items from the site were publicly displayed earlier this month in hopes of identification, drawing many visitors from surrounding villages and beyond.
Amalanathan Mary Calista, whose husband disappeared in 1996 after a military arrest in their village, hoped to find proof of his death for closure. "I went there hoping to see at least his clothes. There was a sarong, but it wasn't my husband's. It was disappointing," she said, weeping over the children's clothing she saw.
"The state army arrested him. They must admit responsibility and compensate us," she stated.
No children listed in missing person reports. A 2003 report by Sri Lanka's Human Rights Commission investigated 281 missing person complaints from 1990 to 1998, with 243 cases attributed to the military and 25 to Tamil Tigers. None involved children.
Nadesapillai Vithyatharan, then editor of the region's only newspaper, noted that several families went missing after returning from rebel-held territories and facing military checkpoints.
Excavations to continue for eight more weeks. A court report last week indicated “soil anomalies” suggesting more burials in a larger area than currently excavated. Lawyer Ranitha Gnanarajah said investigators requested court permission to extend the excavations. Army spokesman Brig. Waruna Gamage stated no formal accusations had been made, adding, "Excavations remain a civil matter for police and courts. We will respect the law."
Both government forces and rebels face accusations of war crimes committed in the run-up to the war's end in 2009. (AP) SKS GRS GRS
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