Category: Breaking News

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), which conducted a fact-finding mission on the ongoing investigation into the mass grave site in Chemmani, Jaffna, has found that while specific institutional actors appear to be discharging their duties with commitment and care, there remains a gap in capacity and will among the law enforcement authorities to ensure accountability for the deaths of the persons found at the site.

The HRCSL visited the site of excavation and exhumation last month (3-4 August) – at a time when over 200 human remains were unearthed – and engaged with the stakeholders including the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) staff, certain attorneys and civil society actors representing the family members of disappeared persons.

They also engaged with Jaffna Magistrate Amalavalan Anandarajah, the Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Selliah Pranavan, and the officer in charge of the preliminary investigation conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Head of the Forensic Medicine Department (where the remains are stored) of the Jaffna University’s Medical Faculty, Dr. P.A. Dinesh Coonghe, and the site work supervising archaeological expert Prof. Raj Somadeva.

Following the same, the HRCSL made the following observations and findings: Over 90% of the human remains had no form of clothing; given the positioning of the skeletal remains, including that some remains were in extreme proximity to one another, and the shallow depth of the remains, there is a reasonable likelihood that the burials were unlawful and pursuant to extrajudicial killings.

HRCSL further observed: Major gaps in the expertise and technology available for the investigation including the lack of an adequate number of experts in forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, the non-availability of technological facilities for more accurate methods of carbon dating, such as bomb-pulse 14Carbon carbon dating, and the lack of cost-effective and accessible technological facilities to analyse deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA); notable weaknesses in the timely provision of adequate funds for the investigation; disturbing accounts of certain CID officers intimidating persons involved in excavation and exhumation; and that the timing and the circumstances of the summoning of journalist Kumanan Kanapathippillai by the Counter Terrorism and Investigation Division (CTID) gave rise to serious concerns.

With regard to the said observations and findings, the HRCSL noted the following: That overseas expertise and technology would be required to effectively complete the investigation; that the continued involvement of regular Police officers in the investigation is likely to prejudice the outcome; and that certain acts by the law enforcement authorities are likely to have a chilling effect on media freedom.

In a report issued in this regard, the HRCSL presented recommendations to the relevant State authorities including the Justice Minister (Initiate a process through which a Standard Operating Procedure for conducting investigations into mass grave sites can be developed in close consultation with all the relevant experts, including attorneys and civil society representatives, and formally adopt the same, and issue regular official updates on the progress of the investigation; Appoint a focal point at the Justice Ministry to expeditiously process budget requests, allocations, and disbursements, and to work closely with the OMP and all State officials involved to ensure timely access to resources; Take immediate steps to provide resources for the use of ground-penetrating radar equipment from the Sri Jayewardenepura University to scan a wider area in the site and the surrounding area; Develop a pool of available archaeological experts to support excavations and exhumations at multiple mass grave sites; Seek and secure the relevant expertise and technological facilities, including from overseas, for analysing the DNA samples gathered from the human remains; Take steps to establish a ‘DNA bank’ in which DNA samples of family members of disappeared persons can be voluntarily obtained and securely stored; Seek and secure the relevant expertise and technological facilities from overseas for the dating of the human remains found, and specifically securing the use of the bomb-pulse 14C carbon dating method; and Take steps to establish a permanent independent ‘Office for the Investigation and Prosecution of Serious Crimes by State Officials’ with broad powers to investigate enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings allegedly committed by members of the security forces or the law enforcement authorities, and to prosecute perpetrators), the Inspector General of Police (Issue directions to the CID to refrain from intimidating any State functionaries or family members of disappeared persons, including pursuing irrelevant and antagonistic lines of questioning; and Issue directions to the CTID to clearly inform a person of the reason for which they are summoned to give a statement, and refrain from misusing investigative powers to summon media personnel, except in clear instances where there is a reasonable suspicion of a specific offence), the Defence Minister and the Army Commander (Issue clear orders to the Army to refrain from any involvement in the ongoing investigations, including contacting any State official, civil society representative, or family member of a disappeared person), the Higher Education Minister (Take steps to review the training requirements pertaining to medical students gaining a speciality in forensic anthropology, and consider limiting the years required for related foreign training to one year, inclusive of State funding for the entire year; and Formulate a plan to incentivise and develop local expertise in forensic archaeology through the university system), and the Finance Minister (Direct the Inland Revenue Department to issue a Value Added Tax exemption notice to the Customs to enable the release of vital laboratory equipment donated to the Jaffna University to establish a Clinical Genetics Unit).

The United National Party (UNP) has decided to postpone its 79th anniversary celebration, which was scheduled to be held on Saturday (6), citing the health condition of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

UNP General Secretary Thalatha Atukorale announced that the decision was taken yesterday (2) at a meeting of the party’s Management Committee in Colombo. She further stated that the postponed anniversary celebration will be held later this month on a new date to be announced in due course.

According to Atukorale, the decision was reached following medical advice given to Wickremesinghe and requests made by members of the Management Committee.

The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Italy, Maria Tripodi, is scheduled to arrive in the island on an official visit today (03).

The Deputy Minister will remain in Sri Lanka until September 5, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism said in a statement.

This visit is significant as it marks the highest-level incoming visit from Italy to Sri Lanka in almost a decade, the Foreign Ministry stated.

During her visit, Deputy Minister Tripodi will co-chair, along with Arun Hemachandra, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment, the inaugural session of the Sri Lanka–Italy Political Consultations.

A Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of a Political Consultations Mechanism is due to be signed during the visit, providing a structured framework for dialogue between the two countries.

Deputy Minister Tripodi is also scheduled to call on Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and hold discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1952, the statement added

A campaign has been launched to collect signatures for a petition demanding international justice for all mass graves found in Sri Lanka’s war-affected north and east.

Regional correspondents report that the campaign seeks international justice for the mass graves found in the north and east, including Sri Lanka’s second largest Chemmani mass grave which has been designated a crime scene by the court, as well as for the genocide committed against the Tamil people.

The petition launched a day before the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances – is targeting the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Switzerland, to be held from 8 September to 3 October 2025.

The petition was jointly prepared by representatives of several parties and alliances including the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) and the Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA), while civil society representatives extended their support to collect signatures in the five districts of the Northern Province.

On 29 August 2025 public gathered to sign the petition at the Mannar Bus Stand, Jaffna Bus Stand, Kilinochchi Public Market Complex, in front of the Maritimepattu Divisional Secretariat in Mullaitivu, and in the Vavuniya town.

During a recent interview with a private television channel, Justice Minister and attorney Harshana Nanayakkara revealed that 17 mass graves have been found in Sri Lanka so far.

For the first time, he listed these as the Mannar Sathosa mass grave, Mannar Thiruketheeswaram mass grave, Puthukkudiyiruppu mass grave, Suthanthirapuram mass grave, Mankulam mass grave, Oddusuddan mass grave, Kokkuthoduvai mass grave, Palaly mass grave, Palaly 2 mass grave, Palaly 3 mass grave, Muhamalai 4 mass grave, Kurukkalmadam mass grave, Matale mass grave, Sooriyakanda mass grave, Colombo Port mass grave, Sampur mass grave, and the Chemmani mass grave.

The Mannar Sathosa mass grave is the largest with 376 bodies discovered so far.

On 20 August 2025, Velanai Pradeshiya Sabha Independent Member Swaminathan Pirakalathan had revealed that there are mass graves in five locations in the islets of Jaffna yet to be excavated.

Regional correspondents reported that on 26 August 2025, the Tamil community in the islets paid tribute for the first time to their relatives who are believed to have been buried in Kayts, Araly Junction, near the Mankumban Pillaiyar Kovil, Allaipiddy and Mandaitivu, and who disappeared 35 years ago.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that efforts are underway to enable the public to carry out all payments and transactions with the government through online methods by next year.

The President stated that digitalisation, a key programme of the present government, enables the decentralisation of all administrative functions, which were previously confined to Colombo, to remote rural villages, thereby giving the people the opportunity to access government services much more conveniently.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made these remarks while attending the inauguration of the Jaffna Regional Office of the Department of Immigration and Emigration today (01).

This office, established within the premises of the Jaffna District Secretariat, is equipped with all facilities including modern technology.

As the number of foreign passport applications from the Northern Province is increasing, this regional office was opened to fulfill the need for a more easily accessible location.

The issuance of three passports by the President symbolised the commencement of providing Department of Immigration and Emigration services to the people of Jaffna.

Subsequently, at a meeting with Jaffna District public officials held at the auditorium of the Jaffna District Secretariat, the President stated that in order to meet the expectations of the people, political authorities and public officials must work together.

The President emphasised that while the government will do its utmost to protect public officials who use their authority for the welfare of the people, it will not hesitate to enforce the law against those who misuse that authority for monetary gain.

He further stated that, at present, all public servants in the country have the opportunity to fulfill their duty to the nation.

The President further pointed out that a strong public service is needed to build the country and behind the development of every developed country in the world, there is a strong public service.

The programme to develop the Jaffna Library into an e-library was inaugurated today under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Accordingly, the website “jaffna.dlp.gov.lk” was introduced for the Jaffna Public Library, enabling readers to access its collection online through this project.

The Jaffna Public Library, a symbol of pride for the people of Jaffna, is one of the largest libraries in Asia, housing an extensive collection of books. It is used daily by school and university students as well as researchers from both Sri Lanka and abroad.

At the event, an integrated library management system, a smart card access facility and a special unit equipped with assistive technology for persons with special needs were also introduced for the Jaffna Public Library.

A sum of Rs. 100 million has been allocated for this project from the 2025 budget.

Following the official launch of the e-library programme, the President toured the reading hall and lending section of the library, engaging in cordial discussions with the staff.