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| A set of human remains exhumed at Chemmani. Pix: Northeastern Monitor |
With the second phase of ongoing excavation activities at the Chemmani mass grave site coming to an end yesterday (6), a total of 239 human skeletons have been exhumed so far out of the total 240 identified remains.
The 45 day long second phase of excavation activities came to an end yesterday (September 6) based on the financial provision allocated by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration through Jaffna Magistrate Courts.
During the two phases, two forensic excavations sites (Site 1 and Site 2) were identified, and human skeletons were exhumed following the scanning process undertaken by a technical team attached to the University of Sri Jayawardenapura.
The case is scheduled to be taken up for hearing on September 18 with the submission of reports of financial allocation for the next phase from the Ministry of Justice and National Integration.
On Thursday, the excavation team identified a set of human remains where one set was identified as being in a seating position with significant damage to the skull. Following the directive of Additional Magistrate S. Leninkumar, a senior lecturer attached to Faculty of Hindu Studies was asked to visit the site and submit his observations on the remains to determine whether the remains were given proper burial under religious reasons.
Meanwhile, Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara visited the suspected mass grave site of Kurukkalmadam, Batticaloa this week as moves are underway to carry out excavation activities through Kalawanchikudi Magistrate Court.
Earlier, the Kalawanchicudi Magistrate issued an order on August 28 to make a public announcement of the suspected mass grave site and collect details of enforced disappeared persons in the region who were made to disappear in the 1990s.
In Katankudi, a group of lawyers organized a mobile camp this week to collect details of enforced disappeared persons from their loved ones and families in order to submit to the Courts.
On Thursday, a group of villagers in Mandaithivu lodged a complaint with the Kayts police station, requesting authorities to open suspected mass grave sites in the Mandaithivu and reveal the truth behind the enforced disappearances of local villagers and ensure justice.
An 81-year-old mother Stephen Marilda whose son was forced to disappear in 1990 lodged the complaint with the presence of members attached to Velanai Pradeshiya Sabha.
In the complaint, the mother alleged that during the military operations carried out on August 25 and 26 in Mandaithivu, Mankumban and Allaipitty regions, over 80 youths were taken into military custody and their whereabouts are still unknown.
It is also suspected, according to the complaint, that testimonies by survivors claimed that the bodies of victims of enforced disappeared persons were dumped into wells and a local school in Mandaithivu 2nd post.
Earlier, Velanai Pradeshiya Sabha passed a resolution on August 20 demanding to reopen those sealed domestic wells – suspected mass grave sites and conduct further investigations in order to establish truth and justice.
The Human Rights Commission report’s recommendations
The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) urged the government to take steps to establish a ‘DNA bank’ in which DNA samples of family members of disappeared persons can be voluntarily obtained and securely stored for future comparison purposes.
Issuing a report on the ongoing investigation into the mass grave site in Chemmani, Jaffna, following a fact finding mission the Commission had undertaken last month, the report focused on the functions and initial findings of the various institutional actors; the adequacy of expertise and technology; the adequacy and accessibility of funding; accountability and the role of security forces and law enforcement authorities; and the role of the Bar, civil society, and the media.
Based on the preliminary feedback of the experts working at the site, the Commission said that over ninety percent of the human remains found at the site had no form of clothing whatsoever. “It was also observed that, given the positioning of the skeletal remains, including the fact that some remains were in extreme proximity to one another, and the shallow depth of the remains, there is a reasonable likelihood that the burials were unlawful and pursuant to extrajudicial killings,”
The report also highlighted disturbing accounts of certain officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) intimidating persons involved in the excavation and exhumation work at the mass grave site.
“The continued involvement of regular police officers in the investigation into the mass grave site in Chemmani was likely to prejudice the outcome of the investigation. It recommended that an alternative approach would be needed and highlighted the need for the establishment of an independent permanent Office for the Investigation and Prosecution of Serious Crimes by State Officials,” the report said. (Courtesy - The Sunday Times)
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