Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) leader and Jaffna parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has insisted that any investigation into the Chemmani mass graves must be “thorough and complete” if the truth is to be revealed — warning that the Sri Lankan government would bear “full responsibility” if the life of key witness Somaratne Rajapakse is endangered while in prison.
Rajapakse, a former Sri Lankan soldier, is currently serving a prison sentence after being convicted in the brutal 1996 rape and murder of Krishanthi Kumaraswamy. During the trial, he confessed to the existence of mass graves in the Chemmani area, claiming that nearly 600 bodies of those who had disappeared during the military occupation of Jaffna were buried there.
The case has become one of the most notorious examples of mass killings in the North-East, symbolising decades of state-perpetrated atrocities against Tamils.
Rajapakse’s wife wrote to Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake, stating that he would be willing to testify before an international investigation into the latest uncovering of more than 140 bodies form a mass grave in Chemmani.
Ponnambalam stressed that, while Rajapakse is a convicted criminal, his wife’s willingness to testify indicated that “there may be more truths yet to be revealed”.
“What Somaratne Rajapakse is prepared to disclose must be brought to light,” the TNPF leader said. “If any threat arises to his life while in custody, the government must be held fully accountable.”
The remarks follow a recent visit by a delegation from the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission to the Chemmani–Sindhubathy mass grave site.
Ponnambalam also used the opportunity to highlight Sri Lanka’s refusal to ratify the Rome Statute, which he said prevents domestic investigations into genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
“Sri Lanka must be brought before the International Criminal Court,” he asserted. “The Human Rights Commission must acknowledge and expose this truth.”
