President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, speaking in Jaffna, said the government is committed to conducting a transparent investigation into the Chemmani mass grave, which has drawn renewed concern following recent excavations.
“I know that when digging the ground, old skeletons surface. A thorough and open inquiry into the Chemmani mass grave is now underway, which has caused a major stir. Our aspiration is to build a state where such mass graves will never be created again,” the President said.
Excavations in the fifth phase at the Chemmani Siththuppaaththu cemetery uncovered skeletal remains belonging to 12 more individuals on August 31, officials confirmed. So far, remains linked to 209 people have been unearthed, including 191 that have already been exhumed.
The current phase of excavations began on August 25 and will continue until September 7. (Newswire)