Sri Lanka HR Commission: Chemmani Mass Grave Indicates Illicit Killings

Colombo, Sep 4 (PTI) – The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has indicated that the burials found at the Chemmani mass grave in northern Sri Lanka likely resulted from unlawful acts and extrajudicial killings. The commission issued a report on Wednesday following their site visit on August 3 and 4, stating there is a "reasonable likelihood" that the actions leading to the burials were illicit. Earlier this year, during routine development work at Chemmani in Jaffna, skeletal remains were uncovered. In July, a court in Jaffna classified the site as a mass grave and ordered a legally supervised excavation. In 1998, amidst the conflict between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and government forces, Chemmani attracted attention regarding allegations of a mass grave, with around 15 skeletons uncovered at that time. The leading Tamil political party, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), argued that the site provides clear evidence of war crimes and a "genocidal campaign against the Tamils." The HRCSL has confirmed reports that over 200 skeletal remains have been discovered during the ongoing excavations, noting that over 90% of the remains found were devoid of clothing. The commission observed that the skeletal remains were positioned in close proximity to one another and buried at a shallow depth. The HRCSL report also highlighted a gap in both the ability and willingness of law enforcement authorities to ensure accountability for the deaths of those found at the site. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited Jaffna this week, pledging a transparent investigation into the mass grave excavation. Additionally, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed his concerns on the matter during his visit to the Chemmani mass grave in June.