UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has voiced concerns over the recently discovered mass grave in Chemmani, stating that he had “raised this with the Sri Lankan government directly.”
He made these comments in an exchange with British MP Uma Kumaran before the Foreign Affairs Committee. Kumaran welcomed the UK’s recent sanctions against Sri Lankan military officials implicated in serious human rights violations, but underscored the “horrific discovery” at Chemmani as a stark reminder of the country’s enduring legacy of violence.
“I’ve got very grave concerns in relation to the mass grave that has recently been discovered at Chemmani. Yes, we have raised it with the Sri Lankan government directly; we did that last month. Yes, we are in close touch with families of those who disappeared across the country, and we’re working with NGOs and others to make sure their voices are heard,” Lammy said.
“I am happy to look at whether there is technical expertise that we can bring to support those looking at the mass grave issue, understanding that there are capacity issues within the country,” he added.
MP Kumaran also asked whether the UK government would support the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ recommendation to refer alleged perpetrators of atrocities in Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Foreign Secretary Lammy responded that Sri Lanka is not a party to the ICC, noting, “The Court wouldn’t have jurisdiction to investigate any crimes that might be committed. That is the difficulty in what you recommend.” (Newswire)
