Updated Situation Report: Chemmani Mass Graves (October 01, 2025)

Executive Summary

Since the September 18, 2025 hearing, no further excavation has resumed at the Chemmani site. The Judicial Medical Officer’s eight-week extension request remains pending, and the Justice Ministry has not allocated the necessary funds. Civil society and human rights organizations continue to call for immediate disbursement to prevent irreversible loss of forensic evidence and alleviate survivors’ anguish. The Justice Ministry’s formal response is expected in early October 2025, while stakeholders prepare shadow reports and follow-up submissions to the UNHRC to sustain international pressure.

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Background

Court-mandated excavations at Chemmani began in mid-May 2025 under judicial supervision after skeletal remains were discovered on February 13. By September 8, forensic teams had unearthed 240 complete skeletal remains and recovered 14 piles of bones along with child-related artifacts such as feeding bottles, toys, and shoes. The excavation pit expanded to approximately 23.4 m by 11.2 m with depths of 3–4 ft, reinforcing evidence of systematic mass burials.

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Recent Developments

• No further digging has taken place since the September 18 hearing; the extension request remains in limbo without fresh funding from the Justice Ministry.
• Civil society groups warn that continued delays risk environmental damage to exposed remains and artifacts, compromising both forensic integrity and survivors’ quests for truth.
• Human rights observers emphasize that stalled investigations erode trust in domestic accountability mechanisms and may embolden impunity.

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HRCSL Fact-Finding Observations

In early August 2025, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka conducted a two-day mission to Chemmani. It reported that over 90 percent of recovered remains lacked clothing, burial depths and positioning suggested extrajudicial executions, and significant gaps existed in forensic capacity, funding accessibility, and institutional will to ensure accountability. The HRCSL recommended independent oversight and victim-centered investigation processes.

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Stakeholder Actions

• Shadow Reporting: NGOs and survivor networks are compiling shadow reports detailing procedural delays, forensic gaps, and witness testimonies for upcoming UNHRC sessions.
• Advocacy & Diplomacy: Tamil diaspora advocates and human rights coalitions are lobbying UN member states to sponsor follow-up resolutions, technical missions, and consideration of ICC or universal jurisdiction pathways.
• Funding Appeals: Collective appeals are being directed at the Justice Ministry, international donors, and human rights foundations to unlock emergency funds for the eight-week extension.

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Challenges

• Funding bottlenecks within the Justice Ministry risk halting excavation permanently.
• Logistical and technical constraints impede forensic workflow, threatening evidence preservation.
• Survivors and families face prolonged uncertainty and trauma without clarity on victims’ identities or circumstances of death.
• Sri Lankan government narratives emphasizing sovereignty and security continue to stall meaningful international scrutiny.

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Next Steps

• Monitor the Justice Ministry’s formal response, anticipated in early October 2025.
• Submit finalized shadow reports and dossier updates to the UNHRC prior to its next session.
• Coordinate side events and bilateral briefings at UN forums to keep Chemmani high on the international agenda.
• Explore legal referrals under universal jurisdiction and ICC mechanisms if domestic inaction persists.

Urgent Appeal to Tamil NGOs and Advocates

Context

Since the September 18 court hearing, work at the Chemmani mass graves has ground to a halt. The Judicial Medical Officer’s eight-week extension request remains unapproved, and Sri Lanka’s Justice Ministry has yet to release the funds needed to preserve and examine the site.

Why We Cannot Look Away

Any further delay risks:

• Irreversible loss of forensic evidence through erosion, scavenging, or tampering
• Deepening the trauma of survivors and families still searching for answers
• Undermining domestic and international credibility in holding perpetrators accountable
• Setting a dangerous precedent that atrocity investigations can be stalled by bureaucracy

Call to Action

We urge every Tamil NGO, legal advocate, and community leader to:

• Maintain Visibility: Amplify Chemmani updates on social media, in newsletters, and at public forums.
• Mobilize Funding: Coordinate emergency appeals to the Justice Ministry, diaspora donors, and human rights foundations.
• Submit Shadow Reports: Collate survivor testimonies, forensic gaps, and procedural delays for upcoming UNHRC sessions.
• Engage Diplomats: Lobby friendly UN member-state missions to sponsor a follow-up resolution demanding immediate excavation resumption.
• Prepare Legal Pathways: Identify jurisdictions for universal-jurisdiction cases and build dossiers for ICC or ad hoc tribunal referrals.
• Unite Voices: Form a coalition of Tamil and international NGOs to present a unified front at side events, briefings, and media interviews.

Next Steps

1. Host a virtual strategy session by [Insert Date] to align messaging and responsibilities.
2. Launch a coordinated media push—press releases, op-eds, social graphics—targeting the Justice Ministry and UNHRC delegates.
3. Finalize and submit civil-society shadow reports ahead of the next UNHRC meeting.
4. Track the Justice Ministry’s funding decision and publish weekly updates to keep momentum.

Justice delayed is justice denied. The victims of Chemmani deserve no less than our unwavering focus. Let us stand together—Tamil NGOs, advocates, and community leaders—to ensure their voices are heard and their rights are vindicated.

Conclusion

The Chemmani excavations stand at a critical juncture. Immediate funding approval and international technical support are essential to safeguard forensic evidence, uphold survivors’ rights, and restore confidence in accountability processes. Stakeholders must sustain coordinated pressure until work resumes and justice for the victims is secured.