The number of human skeletal remains identified at the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna has risen to 394, making it the largest mass grave uncovered in Sri Lanka intensifying calls for accountability over alleged wartime disappearances.
Excavations entered their 29th day this week, with archaeologists identifying seven additional skeletons on Friday. According to officials overseeing the court-directed excavation, 370 skeletons have so far been fully exhumed, while investigations continue amid indications that further remains may still be buried within the site.
The discovery marks a significant milestone in Sri Lanka’s long and contested search for answers regarding thousands of people who disappeared during the years of conflict.
The number of remains now exceeds those recovered from the Mannar Sathosa mass grave, which previously stood as the country’s largest known mass burial site.
The latest developments have drawn renewed national attention. Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara visited the excavation site on Friday together with representatives of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) to observe the ongoing work.
The visit came as excavations continue under the supervision of the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court and are being carried out by a team led by veteran archaeologist Prof. Raj Somadeva.
Minister Nanayakkara told the media after his visit that the Government would continue to provide financial support for the excavation process and any future phases to complete the investigation. He also said that the authorities would pursue the truth wherever the evidence leads.
“If evidence emerges against any person or institution, action will be taken in accordance with the law,” the Minister said, adding that the Government is committed to ensuring a fair investigation.
The ministerial visit was met with a protest by relatives of victims of enforced disappearances near the excavation site. Demonstrators called for international supervision of both the excavation and any subsequent investigations adding that domestic mechanisms had failed to deliver truth and justice over several decades.