News and events

Exhumation in Kokkuthoduvai massgrave to resume on March 2

2023-11-27

After 20 days of excavation at the mass grave found in Kokkuthoduvai Mullaitivu district the operation has been postponed for three months officials involved in the operation confirmed. The 2nd stage of the exhumations resumed on November 27 2023 and ended on 29 2023. Hitech equipment like radars was used for three days during the second stage of excavation during the last week of November. Twodimensional images from the radar scan have shown the mass graves extend beyond the present site across the road in length and breadth. A threedimensional analysis is expected to be done to understand the extent of the mass grave when the 3rd stage of the exhumations resumes in the first week of March.According to Prof. Raj Somadeva Forensic Archaeologist so far 40 human skeletons with their uniforms have been exhumed and nearly 100 artefacts have been recovered from the site. A preliminary analysis report will be submitted. Kokkuthoduvai mass grave site was discovered while municipal workers were laying pipelines for water supply along the Kokkuthoduvai MahavidyalayamKokkilai road. While digging for laying such pipes on June 29th body parts and pieces of clothing were found leading to a fullfledged excavation. Therefore further excavation was ordered after a week on the 6th of July when at least 13 skeletal remains of victims were exhumed. It was ordered that the next date for excavation was August 21st however due to lack of funds the exhumations was postponed to September 6th. On that day exhumation resumed and went on till 15th September where 17 skeletal remains and artefacts were discovered. Attorneys Ranitha Gnanaraja and V.S.Niranchan representing the Centre for Human Rights and Development CHRD were present through the process to watch the interest of the families whose loved ones disappeared during the war.