Six more human skeletons were uncovered on Wednesday(06-08-2025) at the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna, including the remains of infants, as the total number of bodies found continues to climb.
The total number of skeletal assemblages identified now stands at 147, with 140 fully exhumed.
The infant remains were exhumed with extreme care due to their fragile condition. Items discovered alongside other skeletons included a pair of sandals and a bracelet, which have been placed under court custody. Forensic teams also retrieved coins, glass bangles, and other personal belongings from the graves.
The bodies of several children have now been found at site.
In a procedural update, the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court confirmed that excavation will pause temporarily, with forensic teams resuming work on 21 August. The break was granted to allow personnel to rest after weeks of intensive effort.
The Chemmani case, reopened more than two decades after initial revelations, has reignited calls for international justice. The mass graves came to global attention in 1998, following testimony from Lance Corporal Somaratne Rajapaksa – convicted in the rape and murder of Tamil schoolgirl Krishanthi Kumaraswamy – who revealed the existence of mass burials near a military checkpoint in Chemmani. He claimed up to 400 Tamil civilians had been killed and buried during the Sri Lankan military’s occupation of Jaffna in the 1990s.
A hearing at the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court is scheduled for 14 August, where a report on Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scans and soil testing is expected to be submitted. GPR scans, recently completed by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura’s Faculty of Technology, have identified additional areas of interest within the Siththupaththi Hindu Cemetery.
This week also saw over 200 people, including relatives of the disappeared, gather to view artefacts recovered from the site. The exhibit, held under tight security and court restrictions, featured 54 items, including a child’s toy, a baby’s bottle, school bags, and sandals.
As excavation efforts uncover more chilling evidence, pressure continues to mount on both the Sri Lankan government and the international community to pursue meaningful accountability. Tamil political parties, civil society groups, and rights organisations have repeatedly demanded an independent, internationally monitored investigation into Chemmani and other suspected mass graves across the North-East.