Latest Developments on Chemmani Mass Graves Excavation (July 6–8, 2025)

Between July 6 and July 8, 2025, significant new developments unfolded in the investigation of the Chemmani mass graves in northern Sri Lanka. Excavators in Jaffna continued to unearth human remains, sparking widespread reactions. Below is a detailed report covering the progress of new excavations, the findings revealed, the government’s responses, the reactions of victims’ families, and the latest international interventions during this period.

New Excavations (Early July 2025)

Expansion of digging sites: In the first week of July, the court-authorized excavation at Chemmani moved into a new phase. On July 2, investigators opened additional sections of the Chemmani-Ariyalai Siththuppaththi Hindu cemetery identified as suspicious via satellite imagery. Excavation teams even began work at two extra nearby sites beyond the initial area, indicating the search radius is widening. Authorities suspect there may be more burial pits toward the adjacent A9 highway based on early findings.
Supervised and methodical process: The digs are conducted under the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court order, ensuring legal oversight. A senior archaeologist, Prof. Raj Somadeva, leads the effort with judicial medical officers (forensic pathologists), police Scene-of-Crime officers, and government archaeologists present at the site daily. Students from the University of Jaffna’s archaeology department have joined in to assist with the careful exhumation work. The presence of these observers and experts is intended to maintain transparency and proper procedures.
Timeline and progress: The second phase of excavation has been underway for about ten days as of July 6. Initially, a 45-day period had been allotted by the court to complete the excavation. However, experts on site have doubts that 45 days will suffice given the potential scale of the graves. By July 3, crews had exposed remains in roughly one-third of the marked grids, and the court granted an extension to continue the work through mid-July. Each evening, teams are seen carefully unearthing bones well past nightfall, signaling a race to recover as much evidence as possible within the allowed time.
Site conditions: The excavation area is essentially a crime scene. It spans parts of a public cemetery and adjacent land where bodies were clandestinely buried in the 1990s. Workers cleared an 11-foot-long rectangular trench during the week of July 6, painstakingly digging by hand and with tools to avoid damaging fragile remains. Police maintain 24-hour protection around the perimeter to prevent any tampering. Soil and weather conditions (Chemmani’s tropical ground) pose challenges, but the methodical approach is slowly revealing human skeletons and artifacts that had been hidden for decades.

Findings of the Mass Grave (Skeletons and Evidence)

By early July, the Chemmani excavation has yielded a trove of grim but crucial evidence from the mass graves. Key findings include:

Rising count of human remains: As of July 5, officials reported exhuming 42 complete human skeletons from the Chemmani site. Continued digging over the next few days brought the total to at least 44 skeletons by July 7–8. This includes a number of partial remains (individual bones) that were found commingled in the pits. Notably, a cluster of five skulls along with other bone fragments was discovered buried together, indicating multiple bodies dumped in a single spot. The sheer number of remains unearthed in a relatively short span underscores the suspicion that hundreds of victims may lie in Chemmani’s soil, corroborating a soldier’s 1998 testimony that this was a major clandestine burial site.
Child victims and personal items: Forensic examination strongly suggests that several children are among the dead. At least three of the skeletons appear to belong to children, including infants less than 10 months old. This conclusion comes from both the smaller size of certain skeletal remains and the poignant personal effects found with them. Excavators have recovered items such as a blue schoolbag printed with alphabet letters, a tiny rubber doll, children’s slippers, pieces of a small dress, glass bangles, and earrings alongside the bones. In one shallow grave, the skeleton of a child was discovered still wearing a UNICEF school backpack with a toy tucked inside. These heartbreaking artifacts indicate that some victims were school-aged youngsters who disappeared and were secretly buried here. Each object – a bag, a shoe, a bangle – serves as a silent witness to an individual life, helping investigators establish the profile of the victims and making the human cost painfully tangible.
Signs of irregular burial and violence: The condition and arrangement of the remains point to mass disposal under horrific circumstances. Observers report that most skeletons were found in irregular, hastily dug graves rather than proper individual burials. Many of the bodies had no clothing or personal belongings on them (aside from a few items related to children), suggesting victims may have been buried in haste or stripped of possessions. In the initial Chemmani excavation back in 1999, some skeletons were unearthed with blindfolds and hands tied, clear evidence of execution. In this 2025 dig, forensic experts have noted that bones show signs of trauma and possible torture consistent with extrajudicial killings. For example, several skulls exhibit damage that could be bullet holes or blunt force injuries (details are pending forensic confirmation). Soil analysis also indicated the graves were shallow, and the remains were layered in a manner consistent with bodies being dumped over time rather than in a single event. Collectively, these findings strongly imply that the Chemmani site was used to dispose of civilians killed in custody during the mid-1990s, rather than being an old war cemetery or ordinary burial ground.
Custody and analysis of remains: All exhumed skeletons and evidence have been carefully documented and transported to secure facilities for further analysis. As each skeleton is uncovered, it is photographed, given an identification number, and placed under the custody of the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) and the court. The University of Jaffna’s Forensic Anthropology Unit is temporarily storing the skeletal remains. Forensic teams will attempt to determine the age, sex, and time period of death for each set of remains through osteological examination. (Experts noted that carbon dating may not even be necessary, as the context and condition of these bones clearly tie them to the 1990s, distinct from older or more recent graves elsewhere.) Importantly, there is anticipation of DNA testing to try to identify the victims; however, no public DNA collection effort from families has been announced yet. This has concerned families, who want to provide genetic samples to match with the skeletons. The evidence recovered (bones and personal items) remains under magistrate court custody as potential criminal evidence. Each new find is strengthening the case that Chemmani was a site of mass disappearances, and the data gathered will be crucial for any future judicial proceedings or identification of specific individuals.

Government Responses

Government and official responses during this period have been measured and fraught with concerns over adequacy. The NPP-led Sri Lankan government has taken some steps to facilitate the excavation legally, but has faced criticism for a lack of proactive engagement. Key points include:

Judicial oversight and recognition: The local judiciary has played the central role in authorizing and supervising the Chemmani excavation. The Jaffna Magistrate’s Court formally acknowledged the site as a mass grave (under Sri Lankan law) once more than a certain number of skeletons were found. The court has issued orders ensuring the dig is conducted with proper procedure – appointing experts (like Prof. Somadeva and a JMO) to lead the process, assigning police guards, and requiring regular progress reports to prevent any cover-up. It was also the court that granted an extension of the excavation timeline to allow more thorough work beyond the initial deadline. This judicial intervention shows that, at least at the local level, authorities are treating Chemmani as a serious forensic investigation and taking steps to preserve evidence.
Official silence and minimal comment: At the same time, the national government’s public stance has been muted. By July 8, no senior government figure had visited the site or made a substantive policy statement about the findings. The Office on Missing Persons (OMP), a state body set up for cases of disappearances, had not issued any statement or joined the process. Activists and commentators describe a “deafening silence” from the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) leadership concerning the Chemmani grave. This silence is especially noted given that NPP rose to power on promises of accountability and a new truth-seeking commission. The lack of a visible response – no press conferences addressing the excavations, no announcement of special inquiries or support – has been interpreted by victims’ families as indifference. Critics argue that each day of official quiet in the face of such revelations “will be heard, not as neutrality, but as betrayal” of the victims. The government’s low-profile approach (perhaps an attempt to avoid political controversy or military pushback) stands in contrast to the heightened media and civil society attention.
Facilitating international scrutiny (in principle): The government has nominally agreed to allow international observers, but only after pressure. When United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk planned to visit Chemmani in late June, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister publicly stated that Türk could visit “without any restrictions”. However, it became clear that this was more rhetoric than action – the site was under judicial seal and no prior clearance had been arranged for the UN delegation. Lawyers representing the victims had to file an urgent motion in court to legally permit Türk’s entry into the excavation area. They later criticized the government’s claim of openness as misleading, noting that without their intervention, the UN High Commissioner would have been limited to viewing from outside a fence. Eventually, Türk was allowed inside the site, but this episode highlights that international access was granted in spite of, not thanks to, proactive government effort. On a similar note, families and activists have asked the government to invite foreign forensic experts to assist with the investigation – an idea officials have so far neither openly embraced nor explicitly rejected.
Resource allocation and support: Another aspect of the government response is the question of resources. Thus far, the Chemmani excavation has been run on modest budgets (the local municipal council had allocated funds for cemetery development, which inadvertently led to the discovery). When remains were found, the judiciary stepped in to oversee, but no significant new funding or manpower was immediately dedicated by Colombo authorities. Amnesty International and local rights groups have urged the government to provide sufficient resources and ensure transparency at Chemmani. Lawyers have specifically requested the state to fund a fully equipped forensic laboratory in Jaffna so that analysis can happen locally (rather than transporting bones to Colombo, which families fear could lead to tampering). They also insist on guaranteed funding to complete the excavation to its conclusion. In early July, there were signs of incremental support – for instance, the government Agent (district official) in Jaffna arranged some additional labor and equipment following court directives. But overall, humanitarian observers describe the official support as “fragmented, under-resourced, and politically ambivalent”. The central government has not yet announced any special commission or task force to take forward the findings, which leaves the burden on the local judicial process.
Political context and accountability: The Chemmani graves put the current government in a difficult position regarding accountability for past war crimes. The NPP government, led by a president aligned with the leftist JVP, campaigned on truth, justice, and ending impunity. Chemmani is a litmus test of those commitments. So far, the administration has avoided overt interference – allowing the legal excavation to proceed independently – which optimists view as a positive change from previous regimes (which might have stonewalled such an investigation). However, survivors point out that allowing the process is not the same as actively pursuing justice. There is growing public pressure on the government to take follow-up action: for example, to plan DNA identification drives, prosecute anyone found responsible, or at least officially acknowledge what happened at Chemmani. Some officials privately indicate that once the excavation is finished and forensic results are in, the case could be handed to a special investigative team. But until concrete actions are seen, faith in the government’s will to confront the past remains low. Observers note that successive Sri Lankan governments have a history of inaction on mass grave findings – from the 1999 Chemmani exhumations to other sites like Sooriyakanda and Matale, where investigations stalled and perpetrators walked free. The current silence has thus drawn sharp criticism from commentators across communities, who argue that facing these wartime atrocities is essential for national reconciliation and that the NPP is wasting a historic opportunity to lead a true reckoning. In summary, the government’s response between July 6–8 has been cautious and constrained, doing the bare minimum required by court orders, while avoiding any bold political moves or statements on Chemmani. This has left victims’ families simultaneously grateful that the process is happening at all, yet frustrated by the absence of empathetic official engagement.

Victims’ Reactions and Feelings

The uncovering of the Chemmani mass graves has profoundly impacted the families of the disappeared and the broader Tamil community. During July 6–8, their reactions ranged from sorrow and anger to cautious hope. Several themes emerge in the victims’ responses:

Decades of pain resurfacing: For many families of the disappeared, the Chemmani excavation is opening old wounds. Each skull or bone lifted from the earth could be a long-lost father, mother, son or daughter. Relatives of missing persons have been arriving at the site daily, clutching photographs of loved ones and silently watching the dig proceeding. The scene is emotionally charged – when news spread that children’s skeletons were found, parents of missing children were seen in tears, overcome by the possibility that their own child’s fate might finally be confirmed. One 68-year-old mother, Manuel Jeyachandra, traveled over 100 kilometers to Chemmani hoping to meet the UN human rights chief and seek answers about her son who disappeared in 2008. “I’m not sure how long I am going to be alive, but I just want to know what happened to my son before I die. That’s all,” she said, describing the constant agony of not knowing. Many families echo this sentiment – the discovery of a mass grave is traumatizing, but it also offers a chance, however painful, to learn the truth and mourn properly rather than living in perpetual uncertainty.
Anxiety, distrust, and skepticism: Alongside grief, mistrust of the authorities permeates the victims’ community. Tamil families of the disappeared have been let down repeatedly by broken promises and failed investigations over the years. As a result, their responses to the current excavation are mixed with skepticism. “We have been misled repeatedly by the government and domestic mechanisms. We have lost faith,” a collective letter from families stated on June 24. Many openly doubt the Sri Lankan state’s willingness to deliver justice. Some fear that even after bodies are exhumed, the truth might be covered up yet again or culprits might never be punished, as happened after the 1999 Chemmani exhumations. This deep distrust fuels their insistence on international involvement (discussed below). Psychologically, families are also anxious about what each new find will reveal. According to one mother, every time she hears of human remains being discovered, her “heart races” with uneasy anticipation that her missing relative might be among them, and she lies awake at night unable to sleep. This mix of hope and dread has defined the community’s emotional state in these days – they want answers, but they are bracing for the worst and for potential disappointments in the justice process.
Persistent protests and demands for justice: The victims’ families have not been passive bystanders; they continue to actively voice their demands even as the excavation progresses. In late June, anticipating the UN High Commissioner’s visit, families and activists held a poignant three-day vigil at Chemmani called the “Unextinguished Flame” protest. They lit lamps and displayed photos of the disappeared, symbolizing that the memory of these atrocities remains alive. During July 6–8, family representatives kept up a presence at the site and in the media. They gave press interviews emphasizing that justice must follow exhumation. Local associations of the relatives of the disappeared drafted petitions urging proper forensic handling and eventual legal action. The families’ overarching stance is that this excavation will mean little unless it is followed by identification of the bodies and accountability for those who ordered or carried out the killings. Many of the mothers and fathers are elderly; at Chemmani, they have approached observers like Volker Türk with urgency, saying time is running out for them to see justice in their lifetime. Despite exhaustion, these families continue to protest regularly – in Jaffna town they have staged sit-ins for years, and those protests are ongoing even as Chemmani unfolds. Their resilience is evident: through scorching heat and rain, they stand in public spaces, hold banners, and engage in collective mourning rituals, ensuring that the Chemmani findings cannot be swept under the rug. In short, the victims’ families are meeting this moment with a mix of sorrowful remembrance and steadfast activism.
Cautious hope and validation: Amid the pain, there is also a sense of validation and fragile hope emerging. For decades, Tamil civilians in the North have alleged that their missing kin were killed and dumped in mass graves like Chemmani, but those claims were often ignored or dismissed by authorities. Now, seeing the earth literally give up evidence of those atrocities is validating their stories. “For the first time in decades, they feel their pain is not being ignored, but heard, investigated, and potentially answered,” a journalist observed of the Chemmani families’ mood. Some relatives have expressed a cautious optimism that perhaps the change in government (with the NPP coming to power) and the involvement of international actors could mean this time will be different, and that a genuine effort will be made to identify remains and hold perpetrators accountable. There is hope, for example, that if even one set of remains is positively identified as a known disappeared person, it will bring closure to that family and prove that justice is possible. Younger activists, including children of the disappeared, have also joined their parents at the site – for them, Chemmani is inspiring a renewed call for answers in a struggle they inherited. Still, this hope is tempered by realism. As one family member put it, “We have hope, but we don’t trust yet” – meaning they are hopeful that justice could happen, but they need to see concrete action before they truly trust the system again. The exhumation itself, however, is regarded as a victory for their long struggle: the truth that was buried is finally coming to light, validating their relentless pursuit of their loved ones’ fate.
Local community support: The reactions are not limited to the direct victims’ families. The wider local community in Jaffna has rallied in support. Neighbors routinely bring food and water to the family members keeping vigil at the site. Tamil journalists provide daily coverage, and Tamil-language media has largely sided with the families, calling them “active custodians of memory” who are part of the process. Even diaspora Tamils abroad (in countries like the UK, Canada, Australia) have been closely watching updates from July 6–8 and amplifying the families’ voices on social media. There is a palpable sense in the Tamil community that the souls buried in Chemmani are their people – possibly relatives, friends, or at least compatriots – and so the community shares a collective grief and responsibility. Memorial prayers and candlelight vigils have been held in several towns in the North-East to coincide with the Chemmani excavation, indicating that the victims’ grief is communal, not just individual. Many also point out that Sinhalese and Muslim families have faced similar fates in the past (for instance, mass graves from the 1980s insurrection in the South) and urge solidarity across ethnic lines. In these days, one could witness a touching scene each evening: as the excavators wrapped up work, locals and families at Chemmani would light oil lamps around the site and observe a moment of silence for the dead. Such gestures show both the deep sorrow and the reverence with which the community is treating this long-hidden atrocity.

International Requests and Interventions

The Chemmani mass grave discovery has drawn increasing international attention between July 6 and 8, 2025. Both global organizations and foreign governments have become involved or voiced concerns, responding to appeals from the victims and human rights advocates. Key international actions and calls include:

UN High Commissioner’s visit and call for independent investigation: A major international intervention came with the visit of Volker Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, to the Chemmani site in late June (just before our timeframe). During his visit – the first by a UN rights chief to Jaffna in nearly a decade – Türk met with families of the disappeared and saw the exhumations firsthand. Visibly moved, he stated to the media that “robust investigations by independent experts with forensic expertise” are needed to uncover the truth at Chemmani. Türk emphasized that this process is vital for accountability and to provide long-overdue closure to families. He laid flowers at the “Unextinguished Flame” vigil and expressed solidarity, framing Chemmani’s tragedy as part of a global story of enforced disappearances that must be addressed. Following his visit, Türk urged Sri Lanka to allow international forensic specialists to participate in the investigation. The UN High Commissioner’s engagement lent significant weight to the families’ demands and put pressure on Sri Lankan authorities to maintain transparency. It also signaled to the world that the UN is monitoring Chemmani closely. His trip effectively became an international intervention, as it prodded the Sri Lankan government to cooperate (e.g. the court permission for his site visit) and gave the issue a platform at the highest levels of human rights diplomacy.
Demands for international forensic oversight: Throughout this period, local and international actors consistently called for international oversight and expertise in the Chemmani investigation. The families of the disappeared themselves have been at the forefront of this request – in protests and letters they insist that only international involvement can ensure an impartial process. Amnesty International echoed these pleas in early June by publicly urging the Sri Lankan government to invite international forensic experts and to guarantee transparency. Amnesty’s statement specifically pressed for sufficient resources, unimpeded access for families and independent observers, and strict preservation of evidence at Chemmani. Their concern is that without outside scrutiny, there is a risk of mishandling or political interference given Sri Lanka’s past record on such cases. Additionally, lawyers representing the victims have formally petitioned for international technical assistance. They have asked the UN Office of Missing Persons mechanism and other bodies to get involved, and proposed that the UN Human Rights Council’s Sri Lanka Accountability Project (SL-OSLAP) be allowed to directly monitor the excavations. In effect, civil society wants Chemmani’s investigation to meet international forensic standards, similar to mass grave exhumations in countries like Bosnia or Iraq, because they believe Sri Lanka’s domestic capacity and credibility are lacking. During July 6–8, these calls gained momentum: each new media report mentioning the discovery of infants’ remains was accompanied by quotes from activists renewing the demand for foreign forensic teams on the ground. So far, Sri Lanka has not extended a formal invitation to any foreign forensic institute, but the consistent international advocacy is keeping the pressure on. Notably, the UN High Commissioner’s office has indicated willingness to facilitate technical help if Sri Lanka agrees.
Diplomatic pressure from the United Kingdom: Britain has emerged as a vocal foreign voice on Chemmani in this period. Several British Members of Parliament of various parties took up the issue, spurred in part by the large Tamil diaspora in the UK. On June 17, MP Uma Kumaran (the first British MP of Sri Lankan Tamil heritage) sent a letter to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, calling the Chemmani mass grave discovery “truly shocking” and urging the UK Government to support a full international investigation into it. She highlighted that infants’ remains were found and framed it as evidence of state-sponsored atrocities that necessitate international scrutiny. Subsequently, other MPs raised Chemmani in Westminster. Sarah Champion, chair of the International Development Committee, formally asked whether the UK would push for a UN investigation and assist with exhumation efforts. Siobhain McDonagh, another senior MP, called on the British government to lead the charge internationally for justice in this case. On July 4, in response to a question in Parliament by MP Sammy Wilson, the UK Government stated it is “deeply concerned” by the Chemmani mass grave discovery. Catherine West, a Foreign Office minister, affirmed that the UK remains committed to supporting accountability for human rights abuses in Sri Lanka and is regularly engaging with Sri Lankan officials on this issue. She specifically noted the importance of resolving enforced disappearances and said the UK will press for “tangible progress” on cases like Chemmani. This was a significant diplomatic signal. In effect, one of Sri Lanka’s key international partners put Chemmani on the agenda of bilateral discussions. The British statements stopped short of demanding an international tribunal, but did emphasize backing efforts for an independent and credible investigation. Additionally, British Tamil diaspora groups held a protest outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London in early July, echoing the call for international oversight at Chemmani and justice for the victims. The convergence of diaspora activism and UK parliamentary pressure has elevated Chemmani into an international topic, beyond Sri Lanka’s domestic affairs. By July 8, Sri Lankan officials acknowledged privately that they were receiving queries about Chemmani from foreign diplomats – a sign that global pressure, led by voices like the UK, was mounting.
Comparative international attention and media: The Chemmani case has also prompted reflection on the broader international reaction to mass graves and war crimes. Commentators (including those in international media) have questioned why discoveries like Chemmani do not elicit the same global outcry as, for example, mass graves in Bosnia or Ukraine. In a July 8 analysis piece, a journalist asked pointedly: “Where is the outrage for Tamil children’s bones pulled from Sri Lankan soil? Where is the national grief?”. This critique suggests that more international attention is warranted. Human rights organizations beyond Amnesty – such as the International Commission of Jurists and Human Rights Watch – have reportedly been gathering information, and some are expected to issue statements urging Sri Lanka to act on Chemmani. Regionally, India has thus far been quiet publicly, but Indian media has covered the story as part of Sri Lanka’s reconciliation challenges. There is also talk that Chemmani might be raised at the next session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, where Sri Lanka’s human rights record is regularly debated. The United States and European Union have not yet made official statements specifically on Chemmani during July 6–8, but both have ongoing interests in Sri Lanka’s post-war justice process and could weigh in if the issue escalates. For now, the most concrete international interventions are from the UN human rights apparatus and the UK, as described above, and from global civil society figures like Nobel laureate experts who have in the past advised on mass grave exhumations. The situation at Chemmani is being closely watched and may evolve into a test case in international forums. Importantly, Sri Lankan civil society has explicitly requested international institutions to step in: in a petition handed to Volker Türk, local activists urged the UN to consider referring Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC) if domestic justice continues to fail. They also asked that the UN General Assembly and Security Council be engaged on Sri Lanka’s accountability issues. While such steps are politically complicated, the flurry of international requests signals that the world is being asked not to look away from Chemmani. The coming days and weeks (beyond July 8) will likely determine how far these interventions go – whether they result only in statements and visits, or evolve into more robust actions like international forensic assistance on the ground or diplomatic initiatives for justice.

Summary of Key Developments (July 6–8, 2025)

To recap the rapid developments in this period, the following table highlights the key events and responses between July 6 and July 8, 2025:

Date	Key Developments
July 6, 2025	- Excavation Progress: Media reports confirmed that over 40 skeletons had been unearthed at Chemmani by this date, including remains of children and infants. Evidence recovered (a child’s bag, toys, clothing) strongly indicated at least three child victims.<br>- Expansion of Search: Authorities expanded digging to two additional suspected grave sites in the vicinity of the Chemmani cemetery. Investigators noted the burials were haphazard and found multiple skulls grouped together with no clothing on the bodies, suggesting mass disposal of victims.<br>- Calls for Expertise: Local lawyers and activists renewed calls for international forensic experts to join the effort, citing lack of trust in domestic processes. Amnesty International also pressed the government to ensure transparency and preserve all evidence, implicitly urging outside oversight.
July 7, 2025	- Continued Exhumations: The excavation entered its second week with the skeleton count climbing to around 42. By July 7, forensic teams had identified 44 possible sets of human remains (including partial skeletons) in total, as digging continued in the newly identified areas.<br>- Families’ Vigilance: Families of the disappeared maintained a daily presence at the site. Tamil media reported on mothers standing at dusk watching bones being unearthed – a powerful image of a community reliving decades-old trauma. Many relatives expressed a mix of grief and hope, saying they want answers before they die after waiting nearly 30 years.<br>- Government Silence Noted: Commentary in local press and human rights outlets highlighted the lack of public response from the government. Analysts pointed out that the new NPP-led government, despite its justice pledges, had remained largely silent on the Chemmani findings. This silence drew criticism; observers warned that continued inaction would be viewed as a betrayal of the victims.<br>- Heightened Calls for Justice: Protests and memorials by victims’ families gained momentum. Activists at the Chemmani site and in Jaffna town reiterated demands for accountability and international oversight, handing out leaflets and petitions. They specifically urged that the UN Sri Lanka Accountability Project be allowed to monitor the process and that DNA identification of remains begin promptly.
July 8, 2025	- Findings Update: By this date, 44 skeletons had been exhumed from the Chemmani mass grave. Workers uncovered additional personal items (such as small slippers and pieces of clothing) alongside the remains of children. The ongoing discoveries continued to underscore the grave’s scale and the likelihood of many more bodies in the area.<br>- International Reaction: International pressure intensified. In foreign capitals, Chemmani was raising alarm: the UK government announced it was “deeply concerned” about the mass grave and affirmed support for Sri Lankan accountability efforts. At least four British MPs had by now publicly raised Chemmani, urging an independent investigation under UN auspices. Meanwhile, global media and NGOs questioned the muted response worldwide, calling for greater outrage and engagement on behalf of Sri Lanka’s mass grave victims.<br>- Magistrate’s Court Actions: Locally, the Jaffna Magistrate overseeing the case scheduled meetings to plan the next steps as the initial excavation period neared its end. Courts had formally acknowledged Chemmani as a mass grave site (meeting the legal criteria once 19+ bodies were found) and were preparing orders to secure the evidence for future judicial inquiries. Legal experts indicated that if the excavation continues to yield remains, further extensions and resources would be sought, potentially with international assistance.

Each of these developments between July 6 and 8, 2025 contributed to an evolving narrative. The Chemmani excavation transformed from a local forensic effort into a focal point of national reckoning and international scrutiny during this short span. Families of the disappeared saw both disturbing confirmations of their worst fears and the glimmer of truth coming to light. The Sri Lankan government faced growing calls – internal and external – to break its silence and act. And the world began to pay closer attention to a long-buried tragedy, with the hope that this time justice might finally be within reach.

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Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any government, organization, or entity mentioned herein. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of facts and interpretations, readers are encouraged to consult multiple sources and official statements for the most comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. This publication is intended for informational and advocacy purposes only and should not be construed as legal or diplomatic advice.

Editor’s Note

This article was prepared in the aftermath of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk’s June 2025 visit to Sri Lanka. The mission was seen as pivotal for post-war reconciliation and accountability. We recognize that the content touches on deeply sensitive and painful issues for many communities. In editing this piece, our goal has been to center the voices of survivors and victims while providing accurate, fair, and well-contextualized reporting. Some quotes have been lightly edited for clarity, but not for tone or meaning.

Methodology

This report draws upon a wide range of verified primary and secondary sources, including:

- Official UN OHCHR press releases and end-of-mission statements

- Publicly available transcripts and summaries of High Commissioner Türk’s meetings and speeches

- Statements from the Sri Lankan government, Tamil political representatives, civil society organizations, and protest groups

- Letters, memoranda, and advocacy briefs submitted by Tamil communities and international NGOs

- On-the-ground media reports from Sri Lanka between June 23 and July 1, 2025

- Expert commentary, academic articles, and social media statements vetted for credibility

All facts presented reflect developments up to and including July 1, 2025.

Author:

Wimal (Curator and Research Contributor)

Bio: Wimal is an independent researcher, community advocate, and chronicler of post-war justice movements in France and South Asia. Based in Brampton, Canada, Wimal works to bridge the information gap between survivors on the ground and international accountability mechanisms. His work focuses on truth-telling, digital archiving, and Tamil diaspora engagement.

Contributor: Microsoft Copilot (AI Research Assistant)

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