Excavation teams at the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna uncovered four additional sets of skeletal remains on Thursday, including two believed to be children, bringing the total number of remains identified to 40.
Thursday marked the eighth day of the second phase of excavations at the notorious site, long associated with enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings of Tamils by Sri Lankan state forces during the 1990s. The latest exhumations come just days after the discovery of children’s belongings, including a toy, a sandal, and a schoolbag, reminders of the age of young victims believed to have been buried there.
Excavators confirmed that the newly uncovered remains were located following fresh digging in areas previously identified through satellite imagery and drone surveys. In addition to the skeletal remains, a piece of cloth resembling part of a garment was also discovered, though it has not yet been fully unearthed. Authorities have not yet determined its significance.
The remains are now under the custody of the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) for forensic analysis. Material evidence recovered from the grave including a schoolbag and sandal have been catalogued and placed under court custody pending further investigation.
Students from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Jaffna are assisting with the excavations, which continue to reveal new evidence each day. On Wednesday, excavations were also carried out at a newly marked site near the original gravesite based on forensic assessments and geospatial imaging.
While the current phase is focused solely on excavation, lawyers representing the families of the disappeared stated in court that more conclusive findings will only emerge during the next stages, which include forensic analysis and the identification of victims. Until then, they cautioned, definitive conclusions cannot yet be drawn.
The Chemmani site was first brought to international attention in 1998, when Sri Lankan soldier Somaratne Rajapaksa testified that hundreds of Tamil civilians killed by the military had been buried there. Initial excavations in 1999 uncovered 15 bodies, but despite strong evidence, including victims found blindfolded with their hands tied, no senior officials have been prosecuted.
The recent discoveries have reignited calls from Tamil families, civil society organisations, and international actors for a fully independent investigation under international supervision.
