News and events

Chemmani Mass Grave: 90 remains identified, including children, as excavations expand

2025-07-26

Jaffna, July 2025 The number of bodies uncovered at the Chemmani mass grave sites in Jaffna has risen to at least 90, following the latest round of courtsanctioned forensic excavations. Among the remains are those of several children, including a small child discovered with a milk feeding bottle and cloth fragments, further deepening concerns about the atrocities linked to these burial sites.

The second phase of excavationauthorised by the Jaffna Magistrates Courtis currently underway at Forensic Excavation Sites No. 01 and No. 02, located within the Sindhubaththi Hindu Cemetery. These sites were formally designated based on satellite imagery and prior testimony. The latest discoveries were made on Friday, 25, when officials confirmed the recovery of two additional skeletal remains and the full exhumation of five previously identified remains. Over the past five days alone, 25 skeletal units have been identified, with 16 fully excavated.To date, excavation teams have worked on 29 separate days, resulting in the full exhumation of 81 skeletons and the identification of 90 in total. Clearing operations have also begun in nearby zones where additional graves are suspected. These newly prepared areas are expected to be excavated in the coming days, expanding the scope of the investigation.

The Chemmani site first drew international attention in 1998, when Sri Lankan soldier Somaratne Rajapakse testified that hundreds of Tamil civilians had been secretly buried in the area during the militarys occupation of Jaffna in the 1990s. Despite his testimony, investigations in 1999 were limited and led to no prosecutions.

Families of the disappeared and rights groups maintain that many buried at Chemmani were abducted, detained, or executed by security forces, and they have long called for an independent international investigation. The discovery of child victims and personal belongings such as bags, slippers, and childrens items has only strengthened those demands.

On Monday, the Criminal Investigation Department CID took over the investigation from the Jaffna Police, following an order from the Inspector General of Police. The transition reportedly sparked disputes at the excavation site, though further details remain unclear. Critics have raised an alarm that agencies historically linked to past abuses are now tasked with overseeing investigations into those same abuses.

Local civil society organisations and legal observers have reiterated their calls for full transparency and international forensic expertise, warning that domestic mechanisms lack the credibility or independence required. They argue that the Chemmani mass graves are not just sites of tragedy, but key evidence of statesanctioned atrocities that must be addressed through a credible international mechanism.

As the excavations continue, survivors and advocates insist that the process must be victimcentred, protected, and independent, so that the full truth of what happened at Chemmani may finally come to lightand justice delivered to those long denied it.