The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) has launched a new report underscoring Sri Lanka’s persistent failure to investigate enforced disappearances and deliver justice to families of the missing.

Titled “Chemmani Mass Grave: ‘We are Still Searching’”, the report stresses that Chemmani, now the largest known mass grave site in Sri Lanka, symbolizes decades of deliberate inaction by successive governments. 

Drawing on witness testimony, judicial records, military information and prior investigations, ITJP argues the site should be treated not only as a forensic exercise but as evidence supporting renewed criminal investigations into enforced disappearances, unlawful killings and related international crimes.

The report notes that despite substantial evidence, no mid‑ranking or senior commander has been held criminally accountable. Instead, several officers linked to the area during the relevant period were later promoted, with some even deployed as UN peacekeepers.

Executive Director Yasmin Sooka emphasized that Chemmani remains a test of Sri Lanka’s commitment to truth and justice, pointing out that under international law enforced disappearance is an ongoing violation until the fate and whereabouts of victims are established.

Full statement: 

The mass grave at Chemmani in the Jaffna Peninsula has become emblematic of the systematic, continuing and deliberate failure of successive Sri Lankan governments to investigate enforced disappearances, to establish the truth, prosecute those responsible where the evidence permits and provide justice and accountability to the families of the disappeared, said the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) launching a new report. 

‘I would be shattered if the remains of my son were found buried at Chemmani, and I would be shattered if they were not,” commented Paramanathan Selvaraja whose son disappeared in 1999, “The only way I can be happy is if my son returns to me alive”. 

The title of the new report “Chemmani Mass Grave: ‘We are Still Searching’” echoes the opening words of so many statements from the families of the disappeared who still haven’t learned the fate of their loved ones three decades on, let alone retrieved their remains. 

The report concludes that Chemmani, now the largest known mass grave site in Sri Lanka, is exceptional because of the sheer scale of the grave, the length of time over which evidence has allegedly been concealed, and the substantial body of evidence linking the site to allegation of enforced disappearances, unlawful killings and other serious violations committed by the Sri Lankan military during the conflict.   

Drawing on decades of witness testimony, judicial records, contemporaneous documentation, military information and previous investigations, the report argues that Chemmani should no longer be viewed solely as a forensic exercise but as evidence capable of supporting renewed criminal investigations into enforced disappearance, unlawful killings and related international crimes. 

To date, no mid-ranking or senior commander has yet been held criminally accountable in relation to the violations associated with Chemmani. Instead, several officers who served in the area during the relevant periodd were subsequently promoted to positions of greater authority and responsibility. 

During a visit to the site in June this year, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara, stated that the government lacked information regarding events in 1998 and suggested families of the disappeared should identify those responsible.

The ITJP report argues that a prima facie case exists for the investigation and prosecution of crimes committed at Chemmani, and that the failure to commence such investigations reflects a continuing deficit in accountability rather than an absence of evidence.  

An annexure to the report identifies seven army officers named as alleged suspects; two of those officers were subsequently deployed as UN peacekeepers to Haiti during the period when Sri Lankan soldiers were implicated in the widespread sexual exploitation and abuse of children. Others later became associated with separate allegations including the abduction, torture and assassination of journalists. 

While these are distinct episodes, taken together, they illustrate how persistent failures of accountability can perpetuate cycles of abuse, erode public confidence in state institutions and allow individuals implicated in serious violations to continue exercising authority without meaningful scrutiny.  

Chemmani is not merely a historical crime scene but is a continuing test of Sri Lanka’s commitment to truth, justice and accountability. Under international law, enforced disappearance remains an ongoing violation until the fate and whereabouts of the disappeared are established. 

For families, uncovering human remains is only the beginning. Justice ultimately requires independent criminal investigations, identification of those responsible where the evidence supports it, and effective remedies for victims and their families. (Newswire)

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Excavation work on the mass grave at Chemmani in Sri Lanka’s northern province has been halted pending fresh allocation of funds by the Justice Ministry, news agency the Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

Citing lawyers close to the operation, the PTI reported that after 45 days of excavation work, the second stage of the work was halted at noon on Saturday. 

The lawyers said the funds for the remainder of the work are expected to be made available within the next two weeks.

So far, 240 skeletal remains have been excavated.

The lawyers said apart from the skeletons, 14 piles of bones and paraphernalia such as feeding bottles for infants, a doll, toys and children’s bags and shoes have been found.

The judicial medical officer has sought eight more weeks of excavations from the Jaffna magistrate, according to a report dated August 14.

The lawyers close to the operation said that at the next court hearing scheduled for September 18, the judicial medical officer will submit an expenditure estimate for two more months to the court.

Skeletal remains were discovered on February 13 this year at Chemmani during a routine development. A week later, the court ordered a judicial examination of them. On May 15, the excavations began under judicial supervision.

In 1998, Chemmani came under focus for an alleged mass grave, at the height of the conflict between the outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and government troops. Around 15 skeletons were discovered then.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka last week said there exists a “reasonable likelihood” that the burials at the Chemmani mass grave in the north were “unlawful” and had been caused as a “result of extrajudicial killings”. (Newswire/PTI)

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Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara, engaged in an inspection tour of areas around Kalmunai, Kalavanchikudy, and Kurukkulamadam, where complaints have been lodged regarding the presence of alleged mass graves.

According to the Ministry of Justice, during the visit, Minister Nanayakkara met with residents who had submitted the complaints.

The Minister assured that investigations into the mass grave allegations would be conducted fairly and transparently.

Officials from the Office on Missing Persons in Batticaloa, along with senior police officers, were also present during the visit. (Newswire)

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The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has urged stronger measures to ensure accountability and transparency in the ongoing investigation into the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna, where more than 200 human remains have been uncovered.

Following a fact-finding mission in August, the HRCSL reported gaps in expertise, funding, and technology, warning that continued involvement of regular police officers could prejudice the outcome. 

The Commission noted that over 90 per cent of remains were found without clothing and buried in shallow pits, raising suspicions of extrajudicial killings.

The HRCSL recommended establishing an independent office for investigating serious crimes, securing overseas expertise for DNA analysis and carbon dating, and creating a national DNA bank for families of the disappeared.

It also called on the police to refrain from intimidating witnesses and media, and the Sri Lanka Army to refrain from interfering in the probe.

The Commission stressed that while some institutional actors were working with commitment, systemic gaps must be addressed to ensure justice for the victims and their families. (Newswire)

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The Chemmani mass grave — designated a crime scene by the court — has been identified as the second largest mass grave in Sri Lanka based on the number of human skeletons discovered so far.

Excavations at the mass grave site resumed on Tuesday, August 26, after an 18-day break. 

Attorney Ranitha Gnanarajah who represents the victims’ families said that by the evening of 26 August, the bones of 16 more persons had been unearthed from the Siththupaththi, Chemmani mass grave. 

Journalists who visited the site reported seeing skeletal remains suspected to be those of several young children. Attorney Gnanarajah said that this will be confirmed after a forensic examination.

Tuesday (26 August) saw the highest number of human skeletons unearthed from the Chemmani mass grave in a single day.

So far, the skeletons of 166 persons, including those of young children, have been found in the Chemmani mass grave.

The Mannar ‘Sathosa’ mass grave, where 376 skeletons, including those of 28 young children, were found, is considered the largest mass grave discovered in Sri Lanka so far.

In 2013, 155 skeletons were unearthed from land near the Matale Hospital, and it is considered the third largest mass grave discovered in Sri Lanka.

The mass grave at the Colombo Port area, where at least 88 skeletons have been found so far, is considered the fourth largest mass grave in Sri Lanka. Its excavations have not yet been completed.

Meanwhile, the mass grave in Thiruketheeswaram, Mannar, where the remains of 82 persons were found in 2013, is considered the fifth largest mass grave. By the time excavations of the Kokkuthoduvai mass grave were completed, skeletal remains belonging to 52 persons had been found. 

All mass graves were discovered by accident. (Newswire)

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Excavations at a mass grave discovered within the Colombo Port premises have uncovered skeletal remains belonging to at least 88 individuals, officials confirmed.

The grave was first found in July 2024 during construction work for the new elevated expressway. Excavations are being carried out under the supervision of Colombo Additional Magistrate Kasun Kanchana Disanayake, with archaeological expertise provided by senior professor Raj Somadeva.

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara recently said that Sri Lanka has so far recorded 17 mass grave sites across the country.(Newswire)

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The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has urged urgent reforms for truth, justice, and forensic capacity in Sri Lanka, in light of the discovery of mass graves and past cycles of violence in the country. 

In a letter addressed to Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, the CPA proposes 8 actionable steps, including DNA facilities, victim support, and international collaboration.

Key recommendations include:

1. Strengthen Forensic Expertise: Enhance the forensic investigation capacity of state entities, including Judicial Medical Officers (JMOs).
2. Establish an Independent DNA Facility: Create a dedicated facility to store and process DNA samples, drawing on lessons from sites like the Chemmani Mass Grave.
3. Independent Investigations and Prosecutions: Establish an office to independently probe serious human rights and economic crimes, addressing cases like enforced disappearances.
4. Standardize Excavation Procedures: Implement SOPs for mass grave excavations, exhumations, and investigations.
5. Seek International Assistance: Engage international observers and experts to support complex forensic and investigative work.
6. Provide Psychosocial Support: Expand local capacity to address the psychological trauma of victims and affected communities.
7. Adopt a Victim-Centered Approach: Ensure transparency and regular updates to rebuild trust in domestic initiatives.
8. Allocate Adequate Resources: Prioritize funding for excavations, forensics, and investigations in upcoming budgetary allocations.

The CPA further commended the work of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) and Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), but underscores the need to safeguard these entities from political interference and resource constraints.

As such, the CPA has sought dialogue with the Ministry of Justice to implement reforms. (Newswire)

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In light of the ongoing excavation at the Chemmani-Siththupaththi mass grave site in Jaffna, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) says it supports the urgent call by families of the disappeared and local human rights groups for international oversight and technical expertise. 

Issuing a statement, the ICJ has made a 07-point proposal to the Government of Sri Lanka and recommendations to the UN Human Rights Council. 

In its statement, the ICJ says that, as of 27 July 2025, 101 skeletal remains, including those of children and infants, had been recovered at Chemmani-Siththupaththi. 

The ICJ further said that it considers that the excavation process is a necessary, initial step toward truth and accountability, and calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure that all exhumation and investigative processes be conducted in full compliance with international human rights law and standards, such as the Revised United Nations Manual on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions (the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death)—including concerning investigative practice and forensic science and the rights and dignity of the dead and their families.

“We must remember that behind every set of remains lies a family that has endured unimaginable suffering. These forensic investigations must be conducted with the utmost respect for human dignity and with the full participation of families. International oversight is required to ensure that these processes meet the highest professional and legal standards that the gravity of these crimes warrants”, said Mandira Sharma, Senior International Legal Adviser of the ICJ. “The Chemmani exhumations represent a critical juncture for Sri Lanka’s transitional justice process”, she added.

The Chemmani mass grave site came to national and international attention in 1998 following the confession of a Sri Lankan soldier implicated in the rape and murder of schoolgirl Krishanthy Kumaraswamy. It has since remained a potent and painful symbol of Sri Lanka’s long-standing legacy of impunity for grave human rights violations, including enforced disappearances. The renewed discovery of human remains almost three decades later at Chemmani-Siththupaththi in February 2025 highlights the continuing urgency of credible, transparent, rights-compliant and victim-centred investigations that are capable of leading to truth and accountability.

Sri Lanka has one of the highest numbers of cases of unresolved enforced disappearances world-wide, with estimates ranging between 60,000 and 100,000 individual cases, arising mostly from the armed conflict between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) between 1983 and 2009. Following the end of the armed conflict, the Government established several commissions mandated to address post-conflict concerns, including the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which largely prioritized reconciliation while providing a limited focus on accountability.  Despite repeated appeals from families and international actors, the rights to truth, access to justice and effective remedies and reparation have largely been denied to victims and their families.

In 2015, Sri Lanka supported a resolution at the UN highest human rights body, the Human Rights Council (HRC), that called for the establishment of transitional justice measures, including a truth commission and a judicial mechanism with international participation. However, these commitments have remained largely unfulfilled.

The Office on Missing Persons (OMP), established in 2016 to investigate cases of enforced disappearance, was initially seen as a positive step. Yet, the institution has long suffered from politicization, limited independence, and a lack of public trust. Its failure to take meaningful action, let alone produce credible investigative outcomes over the years, has undermined its legitimacy and effectiveness. While the OMP is currently observing the excavation at Chemmani, now more than ever, the institution should assert its independence, actively engage with victims and their legal representatives, and operate in line with international standards on truth-seeking and accountability.

Given the longstanding failure of domestic institutions to deliver justice, since 2012 the UN Human Rights Council has through multiple resolutions mandated the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to monitor the situation, preserve evidence, and support accountability efforts, particularly through the Sri Lanka Accountability Project under Resolution 46/1. 

The ICJ said it considers that the ongoing exhumations at Chemmani renders the need for sustained international oversight even more urgent. 

The Chemmani exhumations must not be a mere forensic exercise, but an example of full compliance on the part of the authorities with Sri Lanka’s legal obligations under international law to investigate enforced disappearances and other crimes, identify victims, prosecute perpetrators when the evidence so warrants, and to provide effective remedies to the victims.

While exhumation and forensic examination of remains are essential first steps toward identification and accountability, Sri Lanka lacks a specialized national legal and institutional framework for the investigation of mass graves and enforced disappearances. Past investigations, including previous ones at  Chemmani (early 2000s), Mannar (2018) and other mass grave sites, have failed to ascertain the truth, let alone deliver justice, with judicial processes either stalled or suppressed.

Stating that it supports the urgent call by families of the disappeared and local human rights groups for international oversight and technical expertise, the ICJ said the deployment of independent international forensic experts and human rights observers, such as those from the OHCHR and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); transparent and timely updates to families and the public; and protection of the chain of custody of evidence to enable future criminal accountability, are all required.

Sri Lanka is a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which, among other things, requires the State to protect the right to life (Article 6) and ensure an effective remedy for human rights violations (Article 2). Sri Lanka has ratified the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED) and adopted the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance Act, No. 5 of 2018. However, this legislation has been wholly ineffective in practice, with no successful prosecutions, no effective investigations, and no detailed procedures to be followed in the conduct of exhumations.

International instruments and practices underscore that the investigation at Chemmani must not only aim to identify remains, but also to uncover the full chain of responsibility for the underlying crimes, uphold the rights of victims and their families, and preserve the grave site in accordance with both evidentiary and human rights standards.

The ICJ further said it welcomes that the families of the disappeared are represented by legal counsel during the excavation process. However, effective legal representation must be part of a broader framework that guarantees victims’ rights throughout the investigation, including access to information, participation in decision-making, and psychosocial and protective support. International human rights law, as affirmed by the UN Human Rights Committee, requires that families be enabled to contribute evidence, propose lines of inquiry, and receive updates during all stages of the investigation.

At a time when the UN Human Rights Council is soon to decide on the prospect of continued international scrutiny over grave human rights violations of the past in the country, the credibility of Sri Lanka’s commitments to address the legacy of such violations through transitional justice mechanisms rests heavily on how it responds to Chemmani.

The victims and their families deserve nothing less than truth, justice and effective remedies, including guarantees of non-repetition. Proper investigation and accountability in this case could become a model for investigating other mass grave sites. However, this will only be possible if there is genuine political will, adequate resources, and a victim-centred approach guided by international standards.  

In light of this, the ICJ has called upon the Government of Sri Lanka to:

• Fully comply with international standards, including the Minnesota Protocol, in investigating the Chemmani mass grave.
• Engage independent international forensic experts and human rights observers to ensure the independence, quality and credibility of the investigations.
• Provide psychosocial, legal, and protective support to families of the disappeared, enabling their meaningful participation throughout the process.
• Preserve and rigorously document all evidence to support future efforts toward criminal accountability.
• Fully implement Sri Lanka’s 2018 law on enforced disappearances and provide for clear prosecution guidelines and victim-centred procedures.
• Establish an independent Special Office to investigate and prosecute serious crimes by State officials, including enforced disappearances, with adequate resources, expertise, and international support.
• Publicly disclose findings from all past and present mass grave investigations, promoting transparency and truth.
  

Additionally, the ICJ has urged the UN Human Rights Council to:

• Renew its resolution on Sri Lanka at its forthcoming 60th session in September-October 2025, reflecting the latest developments, such as the exhumations at Chemmani.
• Extend the mandates for OHCHR monitoring and the Sri Lanka Accountability Project, in recognition of ongoing impunity and the necessity of international oversight consistent with Sri Lanka’s international law obligations. (Newswire/ Image- Kumanan Images)

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The Kaluwanchikudy Magistrate’s Court on Monday (21) issued an order to the Consultant Judicial Medical Officer (CJMO) in Colombo to submit a revised draft plan for the excavation of the Kurukkalmadam mass grave. 

The order was issued when the case related to the abduction, enforced disappearance, and alleged killing and burial of pilgrims and traders who were returning home after completing the Hajj pilgrimage on 12.07.1990, was taken up before the court.

At the previous hearing, the  Magistrate had issued summons to the Attorney General, the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), and the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Kaluwanchikudy Police Station to appear before court. 

In compliance, the legal representatives of the Office on Missing Persons and the OIC were present in court yesterday. However, no one appeared on behalf of the Attorney General’s Department.

The counsel representing the Office on Missing Persons made a submission to the Court stating that the Office continues to maintain its position that the Kurukkalmadam mass grave should be properly excavated. 

The counsel further submitted that their office is ready to act as observers if the court makes an order to excavate the suspicious location at Kurukkalmadam.

Taking into consideration the said submission, the Magistrate ordered the Consultant Judicial Medical Officer (CJMO) in Colombo to submit a revised draft plan for the excavation of the Kurukkalmadam mass grave. 

Furthermore, the Court directed the Attorney General to appear at the next hearing.

Representing the complainant Abdul Majeed Rauf, Attorney-at-Law Muhaimeen Khalid, President of the Voices Movement, appeared along with a team of lawyers including Mubarak Muazzam, Hassan Rusdhi, S.M. Manardeen, F.H.A. Amjad, and A.L. Aazath.

The Voices Movement has been continuously working in the past to ensure justice for the victims of the Kurukkalmadam mass grave atrocities. (Newswire)

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The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake urging immediate action to ensure truth, justice, and international collaboration in the ongoing Chemmani mass grave investigation.

In a detailed three-page letter, ITAK raised concerns over the exhumation process in Jaffna and called for independent international forensic oversight, consolidation of legal cases from 1999 and 2025, and the return of remains currently held in Glasgow for further analysis.

The party emphasized that over 65 skeletons, including those of infants, have been recovered so far, affirming the scale of atrocities allegedly committed in the region. It reiterated the importance of forensic transparency, victim identification, and prosecution of perpetrators to enable national healing.

ITAK also called for the public release of all forensic reports and DNA findings and warned that symbolic reconciliation would remain hollow without legal accountability.

The letter was signed by senior party leaders C.V.K. Sivagnanam and M.A. Sumanthiran. (Newswire)

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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)

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By Arun Arokianathan

If you’ve ever been to Sri Lanka, you’ve likely heard someone talk about how beautiful it is. The beaches. The green hills. The lagoons at sunset. We all — Tamil, Sinhalese, Muslim, Burgher — take pride in this island.

But beauty can hide what we don’t want to see.

Sometimes, beneath the earth, there are stories. Stories that were never meant to be found. Stories that speak of violence, silence, and denial.

And sometimes, bones.

A Graveyard in Jaffna

Currently, in July 2025, workers and forensic teams are excavating again at a site called Chemmani, located near the Siththupaththi Hindu Cemetery in Jaffna.

So far, 44 human skeletons have been unearthed. Some of them are children.

Among the remains, they’ve found a blue schoolbag, a toy, slippers, and a child’s dress. These aren’t just bones. These are lives that once were. Someone’s daughter. Someone’s brother. Maybe someone your age.

Does it shake you? It should.

Professor Raj Somadeva is supervising the excavation at the request of the Jaffna Magistrate Court. Forensic doctors, archaeologists, and legal observers are present daily. Families of the disappeared are there too — watching, waiting, and hoping for answers.

Some of these families have been waiting for nearly 30 years.

A Story I’ve Followed for Decades

I worked as a journalist in Sri Lanka for over 20 years until I left the country in early 2023. I’ve covered the war, the peace, the protests, and the silences in between.

And even after moving out of Sri Lanka, I haven’t stopped watching. I haven’t stopped writing — especially when it comes to the stories many would rather forget.

Chemmani is one of those stories.

In 1998, a soldier named Somaratne Rajapakse, on trial for the brutal murder of Tamil schoolgirl Krishanthi Kumaraswamy, testified that hundreds of civilians were executed and buried in secret graves in Chemmani during the war.

His claim led to a state-sanctioned excavation in 1999, where 15 bodies were recovered. Two were identified as people who had disappeared in military custody.

The signs of execution were clear: tied hands, blindfolds, shallow graves.

But justice didn’t follow. The case faded. No one was prosecuted. The rest of the truth was left buried — until now.

What’s Happening Now in 2025

In February 2025, construction work near the Chemmani Hindu cemetery led to the discovery of additional skeletal remains. Court-ordered excavations commenced in May. Investigators believe more remains may be near the A9 highway.

The Judicial Medical Officer has custody of the skeletons. Each one will be studied for identification.

And for the first time in years, this isn’t happening in isolation. Families of the disappeared, lawyers, university students, and human rights observers are all participating and closely watching.

Their presence matters. It sends a message: the truth may be buried but not forgotten.

Mass Graves and Our Reactions

When mass graves are found in places like Bosnia or Ukraine, the world responds with outrage. Flags are lowered. Memorials are held. The global media pays attention.

Why is it, then, that when Sri Lanka uncovers its own mass graves, the response is muted?

Where is the outrage for Tamil children’s bones pulled from Sri Lankan soil?

Where is the national grief?

Justice Is Not a Foreign Concept

The United Nations, rights groups, and independent experts have long called for justice and accountability in Sri Lanka.

As Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General, once said:

“Impunity must not be allowed to stand. Justice must be done — not only to punish the guilty but to ensure that such crimes are not repeated.”

Those words still ring true today. And they apply not just to the global stage but to our own communities, our own country.

A Broader Pattern of Impunity

The Chemmani mass grave is not an isolated case. It is part of a long continuum of unaddressed atrocities:

The anti-Tamil pogrom of 1983, known as Black July, saw thousands killed and displaced.

Enforced disappearances of Tamil youth, particularly in the North and East, escalated throughout the civil war.

The final phase of the war in 2009 is estimated to have killed upwards of 40,000 civilians, according to UN reports. (Sources: UN OHCHR 2015 Report, International Crisis Group, Human Rights Watch)

To date, there has been no meaningful domestic accountability for these crimes. International efforts to push for hybrid courts or independent investigations have been resisted or diluted by successive governments. (Source: OHCHR reports, statements from former UN High Commissioners )

Ask Yourself

What kind of nation do we want?

Can we claim to be proud Sri Lankans — while ignoring these truths beneath our soil?

Can we call ourselves peaceful — while justice is denied to grieving mothers and silenced families?

If you’re Tamil, you’ve lived this silence. If you’re not, you still share the responsibility — because this is part of your country’s story, too.

And let’s be honest — who will invest in a country that turns away from justice?

Will the wealthy Tamil diaspora, who left behind their homes and families, trust a nation that still denies them the truth? Will any right-thinking person, whether investor or humanitarian, feel safe putting their time, money, or hope into a place that refuses to account for the bones beneath its feet?

Accountability is not only moral. It’s practical. It builds trust. It brings healing. It invites return.

Chemmani Is More Than a Mass Grave

For me, Chemmani is not just another news story. It is a wound that refuses to close. One I’ve followed for decades — as a journalist, as a Tamil, and as a Sri Lankan who still believes in truth.

I’ve spoken to families who search for their sons and daughters with only a name and a memory.

I’ve seen mothers carry black-and-white photos worn thin by time and tears.

And now, I see those same families standing at Chemmani again as bones come back into the light.

This is not just history.

This is now.

A Final Word — For All of Us

Sri Lanka declared bankruptcy in 2022. But long before the money ran out, justice did.

You can’t build a future on denial.

You can’t bury the truth and expect peace to bloom on top of it.

Sri Lanka is a land of beauty. But it is also a land where truth has been buried too many times. The question today is whether that beauty can survive without truth — without justice.

If we truly want a better Sri Lanka — one where every community feels safe, equal, and heard — it must begin with facing what lies beneath.

Chemmani is a test. Of our humanity. Of our memory. Of our will to heal.

Let’s not fail it again.

Let this be the moment where Sri Lanka listens — not just with its ears, but with its soul.

As a non-native English writer, I used tools like ChatGPT and Claude AI to help refine my ideas and organise my thoughts into clear, polished writing. I also used Perplexity AI for in-depth research and fact-checking- Arun Arokianathan, Asia Journalism Fellow and Chevening SAJP Fellow.

Images- Kumanan (Photo Journalist)

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The excavation conducted at the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna on Sunday has unearthed several more skeletal remains.

In a new development, several personal effects have also been unearthed alongside the newly found skeletal remains. This is the first instance during excavation that other items had been unearthed near bone fragments. 

During the 4th day of the second phase of operations yesterday, investigators found clothing, small glass bangles, and a blue cloth bag with English letters engraved near a skeletal remains approximately three feet in length. 

Reports indicate the cloth pouch resembles school bags previously distributed as aid by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to schoolchildren in the North and East of Sri Lanka, suggesting that some of the unearthed skeletal remains could be those of children.

As of 29 June,  the total number of human skeletal remains unearthed at Chemmani has risen to 33. Among them, 22 skeletal remains have already been exhumed and carefully preserved for forensic analysis.

Excavation operations are scheduled to continue today (30 June 2025). It is reported that areas identified through satellite imagery have been cleared, paving the way for further systematic excavation in the coming days.

Excavation at Sittupatthu in Chemmani, Jaffna began on 15 May following a court directive, after workers from the Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha discovered fragments of human bones on 20 February while clearing land for a construction project. 

The work is being carried out by a team of archaeologists led by Professor Raj Somadeva. (Newswire/ Image – Loshan)

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A peaceful protest calling for justice for the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna entered its third day today.

The peaceful protest, titled ‘Unfading glow’, is organized by the People’s Action Movement, led by Attorney Vaishnavi Shanmuganathan. 

According to the Jaffna Police, the peaceful protest is being staged near the Jaffna entrance, close to the Chemmani area. 

Several religious leaders, political leaders, political dignitaries, representatives of civil organisations and members of the public have participated in the protest. 

The mass grave was detected after workers from the Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha discovered fragments of human bones on 20 February while clearing land for a construction project.

Thereafter, excavation at Sittupatthu in Chemmani, Jaffna, began on 15 May following a court directive.

Based on a report submitted by the Jaffna Police, Jaffna Magistrate A. Ananda Rajah ordered an official excavation. The work is being carried out by a team of archaeologists led by Professor Raj Somadeva. 

As of 08 June, 19 human skeletons were found at the site. The next phase of the excavation is scheduled to begin tomorrow (26 June). (Newswire) 

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British MP Uma Kumaran has called on the United Kingdom Government to support a full investigation into the mass grave discovered in Chemmani, Jaffna, which included the remains of at least three infants.

Taking to’X’, Uma Kumaran said that the recent discovery of a mass grave in Chemmani, including the bodies of three babies, is a devastating reminder of the state-sponsored atrocities inflicted on Tamils in Sri Lanka.

“I’ve written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy urging the UK Government to support, alongside international partners, a full investigation into this appalling atrocity,” she added.

In a letter dated 17 June, Uma Kumaran referred to a 2024 report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which voiced concerns that there are insufficient resources in Sri Lanka’ to conduct exhumations in line with the international standards, and encouraged the Sri Lankan Government to seek international support for this work. 

“In light of the UK Government’s support for truth, reconciliation, accountability and justice, I would appreciate it if you could set out any current and planned support from the UK Government to Sri Lanka to tackle this issue,” she wrote.

Uma Kumaran also requested that the UK Foreign Office prioritise the mass grave issue in “any and all bilateral engagement” that they have with the Government of Sri Lanka.

“I hope that you will consider my call for perpetrators of war crimes to be referred to the International Criminal Court, as called for by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,” she added. 

Excavation at Sittupatthu in Chemmani, Jaffna began on 15 May following a court directive, after workers from the Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha discovered fragments of human bones on 20 February while clearing land for a construction project.

Based on a report submitted by the Jaffna Police, Jaffna Magistrate A. Ananda Rajah ordered an official excavation. The work is being carried out by a team of archaeologists led by Professor Raj Somadeva. 

As of 08 June, 19 human skeletons were found at the site. The next phase of the excavation is scheduled to begin on 26 June. (Newswire)

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