Jana Aragala Sandhanaya has called for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into alleged mass graves discovered during excavation work at the Colombo Port premises, raising serious concerns over unresolved enforced disappearances and past state violence.
Members of the Jana Aragala Sandhanaya visited the Ministry of Justice today (November 24, 2025) to seek official information regarding the reported discovery of skeletal remains within the port complex.
Speaking to the media, National Executive Council member and attorney-at-law Nuwan Bopage said evidence of mass graves had emerged during excavation activities and stressed the urgent need for transparency. He criticised the recurring pattern where such issues gain attention during election periods but fade without concrete action once elections conclude.
Bopage said Sri Lanka’s history of prolonged conflict and periods of severe repression, particularly during the 1971 and 1988–89 uprisings, had resulted in widespread abductions, killings and enforced disappearances. He noted that more than 12,000 complaints relating to missing persons have been recorded in the Northern Province alone.
He questioned the identity of the skeletal remains found at the Colombo Port, the circumstances under which the victims died, and who should be held accountable, insisting that justice cannot be buried along with the victims.
The group also expressed suspicion that the remains may be linked to crimes committed during past insurrection periods, including the disappearances of members of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), many of whom, Bopage said, were killed or went missing and whose perpetrators remain at large.
Jana Aragala Sandhanaya urged the government to initiate a full-scale, independent investigation and to disclose the truth to the public without delay, emphasising that the victims deserve justice and accountability. (Newswire)