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2025-09-18

Chemmani–Sindhubathi Mass Grave: Uncovered 240 skeletons show shocking evidence of war crimes

The third phase of second-stage excavations at the Chemmani–Sindhubathi mass grave site in Jaffna has now uncovered 240 human skeletons, including children and infants, with 239 fully exhumed to date. This tally marks the latest count from the third phase of the second stage of excavations, which began in late August 2025 under the supervision of the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court.

The most recent findings have deepened concern among families of the disappeared and human rights advocates, as several bodies were discovered in overlapping positions—many tangled, piled, or interlocked, with some appearing to show execution-style deaths. One particularly disturbing discovery was that of a skeleton seated cross-legged with its hands tied and skull fractured—suggestive of summary execution.

Investigators, including judicial medical officers and forensic archaeologists, have reported evidence such as shattered jawbones, crushed skulls, and the skeletal remains of very young children, sometimes recovered alongside items like baby bottles and schoolbags. These findings have reinforced long-standing allegations of war-era atrocities committed during the military’s occupation of Jaffna in the 1990s.

The site, now widely regarded as one of the largest mass graves uncovered in Sri Lanka, was initially exposed in 1998 after Corporal Somaratne Rajapakse, a soldier on trial for the rape and murder of Tamil student Krishanthi Kumaraswamy and her family, confessed that hundreds of Tamils were secretly buried in Chemmani. His testimony prompted a limited excavation in 1999 that yielded only 15 bodies before being prematurely closed by the state.

The current round of excavations resumed after fresh remains were discovered during construction work in January 2025, near a Hindu cemetery in the Sindhubathi area of Chemmani. Since then, the court has authorized systematic excavations, with the JMO Dr. Piranavan, Prof. Raj Somadeva, and multiple forensic experts from the University of Jaffna and Colombo involved in the process.

Human rights defenders, victim families, and international observers have expressed deep skepticism over Sri Lanka’s domestic handling of the investigation, citing decades of state cover-ups, intimidation, and forensic manipulation in prior mass grave probes. Civil society organizations continue to call for international oversight, including referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The Chemmani–Sindhubathi site now stands as a chilling testament to Sri Lanka’s unresolved legacy of enforced disappearances and mass killings. As the excavations proceed, families wait—once again—for truth, justice, and accountability.