Category: Breaking News

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.

A meeting with leaders and representatives of 17 political parties was held at the Narahenpita home of former minister Prof. G. L. Peiris on 07 August, reports said.

The main topics of discussion were the performance of the NPP government, economy and the overall political situation.

Among those present were Rauff Hakeem, Milinda Moragoda, Jeevan Thondaman, Kabir Hashim, Mano Ganesan, Ramesh Pathirana and Shehan Semasinghe.

The Retired Members of Parliament Association has announced it will begin a massive protest next week opposing the government’s decision to abolish parliamentary pensions, its secretary former JVP MP Pemasiri Manage said.

Last week, the association submitted complaints about the pension abolition to three international organisations — the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, the International Commission of Jurists, and the European Parliamentary Assembly — as well as to the neighbouring Indian government.

The group also sent a letter expressing their grievances directly to the President.

Meanwhile, if the pensions are officially revoked, former MPs from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have decided to take legal action to reclaim their parliamentary salaries, according to Manage.

He said the abolition of pensions is a fatal blow to democracy. He warned that after targeting privileges of former presidents and MPs, the government would next come after public servants.

Manage also revealed that he will challenge the decision in court, focusing on unresolved legal issues regarding the retrospective application of the law.

In the wake of Sri Lanka waiving visa fees for nationals from 40 more countries, many other countries have sought the same facility for their nationals coming here as tourists, Daily Mirror learns.

Previously, Sri Lanka had granted the facility to seven countries.

The government has now taken a policy decision to add 40 countries to the list. The decision is currently pending with the Attorney General for clearance. The new visa regulation, upon approval by the Attorney General, will be endorsed by Parliament, giving legal effect to the decision.

It is expected to be effective by the end of this month. Once it is in effect, people from these countries can apply online for a free visa to travel to Sri Lanka as tourists.

Meanwhile, Daily Mirror learns that many other countries have inquired about the possibility of this facility being extended to their citizens. Initially, Sri Lanka has prioritised the countries which are its key source markets.

Asked about the addition of more countries to the list, Chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Buddhika Hewawasam said that it would be considered upon the success of the implementation of the current decision.

Advocata Institute, a leading think tank based in Colombo, emphasised earlier the importance of long-term liberalisation and consistent visa policies to unlock the full economic potential of the tourism sector.

In a press release, it outlines several key policy recommendations—including restoring visa-on-arrival access, easing travel for vetted international visitors, and introducing long-term renewable visas aimed at attracting high-value tourists and remote workers.

Sri Lanka is currently aiming for three million tourist arrivals and USD 5 billion in revenue. Advocata believes that open, clear, and consistent visa policies—combined with a welcoming environment, investment-friendly regulation, and high-value targeting—will be essential to achieving that goal.

“This is a step in the right direction,” said Dhananath Fernando, CEO of Advocata Institute.

“Tourism is one of the few sectors in Sri Lanka with immediate job-creating potential and strong multiplier effects across the economy. Reducing barriers to entry, even something as simple as waiving a fee, can go a long way in making Sri Lanka more attractive as a destination.”

The Institute emphasised that this should not be a one-off gesture, but the start of a broader liberalisation agenda. Advocata calls for Sri Lanka to work toward reverting to at least its pre-2012 visa regime, under which 84 countries were eligible for visas on arrival, without needing to apply for electronic travel authorisation (ETA) in advance. This system was more consistent, easier for travellers, and better aligned with international best practices.

Advocata recommends that Sri Lanka introduce visa-on-arrival access for travellers who hold valid multiple-entry visas to high-screening countries, such as the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, or Australia.

Courts have granted permission for the excavation of a mass grave in Sampur, the seventh found in the country, under Army supervision.

It is difficult to ascertain if the three men, whose skeletal remains were found there, died of natural causes, JMO Nirmal Borukgama informed Mutur magistrate Tasneem Fawsan on 06 August.

A team from the British deminer MAG stumbled on the skeletons at the beach area on 20 July.

The National Demining Action Centre informed the magistrate it has to be excavated under the guidance of the Army as mines still remain in the area.

The case will be taken up again on 26 August.

Correspondents report documents submitted to courts showed there was no evidence to claim a cemetery existed at the site, a state-land.

It is located near a children’s park and a memorial built to the memory of 57 civilians shot, hacked and burnt to death, allegedly by the Army, on 07 July 1990.

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today (07) ordered that the case filed against Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa and several other suspects in connection with allegations that Rajapaksa committed an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by investing in NR Consultancy (Pvt.) Ltd. an amount of Rs. 15 million, allegedly earned through illegal means while serving as a Member of Parliament, be recalled on January 29.

The complaint was taken up today before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali.

During the trial, MP Namal Rajapaksa and the other suspects were present in the court.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) informed the court that the Attorney General’s advice on the case has not yet been received.

Accordingly, the Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali ordered the case to be recalled on January 29 and instructed that reminders be sent regarding the Attorney General’s directions.

The case was initially filed during the ‘Yahapalana’ (Good Governance) Government, against Nithya Senani Samaranayake, Sujani Bogallagama, and Sudarshana Ganegoda, who served as directors of NR Consultancy (Pvt) Ltd.

The case also accuses MP Namal Rajapaksa, the eldest son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, of investing Rs. 15 million, allegedly obtained through illegal means, into the company while serving as a Member of Parliament.