Attorney V. S. Niranjan, representing the families of the disappeared, said that work was ongoing regarding the ongoing investigation into the Mannar Sathosa mass grave, which continues to be bogged down by Sri Lankan bureaucracy.
The announcement followed a court session at the Mannar Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 5 June.
The Sathosa mass grave, uncovered in Mannar in 2018, remains one of the most significant and disturbing pieces of evidence pointing of mass atrocities on the island. To date, over 300 human skeletal remains have been exhumed from the site, prompting calls from both local and international human rights organisations for a thorough and transparent investigation with international oversight.
As legal proceedings resumed this week, the Mannar Magistrate, along with previously invited forensic experts and representatives from relevant institutions, conducted an on-site visit to the Sathosa premises. The visit focused on assessing the current state of the mass grave, which has become partially submerged due to water accumulation.
Niranjan confirmed that discussions were held regarding the removal of this water, with the Urban Council having agreed to facilitate the process. Consideration was also given to partially covering the grave site once the water is drained, although this remains subject to further legal and forensic input.
One of the key decisions taken during the session was a directive to the police to clarify whether the soil samples previously removed from the site remain in the custody of the Sathosa company, and if so, to confirm their exact location. These samples are considered critical to ongoing forensic testing and could provide vital information regarding the circumstances and timeline of the burials.
The court scheduled the next hearing for Thursday, 12 June, at which updates on the removal of the water, the status of the soil samples, and further procedural steps are expected to be presented.
The mass grave holds profound significance for the families of the forcibly disappeared, many of whom remain desperate for answers decades after the end of the conflict and have demanded an international accountability mechanism.
