SRI LANKA: The neglect of mass graves

152 skeletons recovered from the Matale Mass Grave

A mass grave has been found at Thiruketiswaram, Mannar in January 2014. In 2013 a mass grave was also found at Matale and the investigations are still at early stages regarding the body parts found in this grave. The general condition prevailing, relating to both of these mass graves is that the investigations are not being conducted in terms of modern forensic methodologies which are essential for the proper preservation of the findings as well as the prevention of the destruction of the materials found in the mass graves in the course of excavation. Both at Mannar and Matale the mass graves were dug with bulldozers and naturally such manner of excavation is not conducive to proper handling of the human material remains that are found in such graves.

TNA calls for international probe into Mannar Mass grave as toll soars to 59

Ramanan Veerasingham

Sri Lanka’s major Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on Wednesday called for an independent international probe into the Mannar mass grave as the skeletal remains of people dug out from the grave site has risen to 59 by Tuesday, amid fears that it could well contain the remains of thousands of Tamil people who were made to disappear during the decades long war.

Sri Lanka mass grave toll reaches 50

Press Trust of India  
Skeletal remains of at least 50 people have been dug out from a mass grave discovered in northeastern Sri Lanka, amid speculation that the remains were of Tamil civilians who had disappeared during the war with the LTTE.
Police spokesman and Senior Superintendent Ajith Rohana said further digging will be continued with the deployment of a team from the crime investigation department to assist in investigations.

Sri Lanka: Now it’s 45 skeletal remains; JVP calls for speedy, fair probe on Mannar mass grave

Mannar mass grave

 

The number of skeletal remains found in the Mannar mass grave increased to 45 yesterday as a special team from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) recorded statements from the officials involved in the excavation of the remains. One more skeletal remain was unearthed yesterday.
A group of CID officers who arrived at the site at Thiruketheeswarm on Friday recorded statements of the Anuradhapura Judicial Medical Officer D.L. Waidyaratne and a forensic expert

Mannaar Killing Field number rises to 43, site extent still not known

43 human skeletons have been recovered till Wednesday at Thirukkeatheesvaram mass grave in Mannaar, news sources in Mannaar said. The boundaries of the mass grave are yet to be established, according to the Judicial Medical Officer from Anuradhapura D. M. Waidyaratne. The JMO has also gone on record stating that it would take long time to establish how the killings had occurred. 

Skull with open mouth adds to Mannaar killing field evidences

One of the skulls, recovered at Thirukkeatheesvaram mass grave in Mannaar had its mouth wide open bearing marks of torture injuries in the mouth. Four more human skeletons were located on Thursday, when exhumation resumed at the site. The SL police at the site blocked Tamil physician from Mannaar G Gunaseelan, who is an elected member of the Northern Provincial Council, from witnessing the exhumation. The Sinhala policemen sent him away from the site, news sources in Mannaar said.

sri Lanka: Mannar Mass grave fuels fear of thousands buried in the Northern war zone

The discovery of a mass grave containing more than 30 skulls in northern Sri Lanka has fuelled speculation that there may be many more like it containing the remains of thousands who went missing during the island nation's nearly three-decade war.

The police have suggested that the Tamil Tiger rebels it defeated five years ago could be responsible for the burial, uncovered near a historic Hindu temple in the district of Mannar.

A month into digging, 36 skeletons recovered from mass-grave in Mannar

 

 

inShare

A group of construction workers who were laying water pipes stumbled across and unmarked mass grave in the North-Western town of Mannar. This is what has happened so far, and a bit of background.

• A group of road workers digging the road to lay pipes stumble upon a six skeletal remains on December 20, 2013. Four more skulls are discovered the next day.

Sri Lanka: 32 human skeletons exhumed in Mannaar mass grave

[TamilNet]
Six more human skeletons were exhumed at the genocidal mass grave at Thirukkeatheesvaram in Mannaar on Tuesday, in addition to the already exhumed 26 skeletons since December 20. The exhumation will resume on 16 January Thursday, legal sources in Mannaar said. 
 The exhumation of the mass grave was being carried out at the presence of Mannaar District Judge Ms Ananthy Kanagaratnam and Judicial Medical Officer from Anuradhapura D.L. Wydiaretna.
The District Judge has instructed the Sri Lankan Police to safely store the skeletons recovered so far, news sources in Mannaar said.

Sri Lanka: 26 victims exhumed, mass grave reveals torture, executions at standing position

Thirukkeatheesvaram mass grave

Some of the victims slain in the mass grave at Thirukkeathessvaram in Mannaar have been shot after being ordered to stand up straight inside the bunkers, according to those who witnessed the excavation of the mass grave in Mannaar. Of the four more skeletons recovered on Friday, one skull was found covered by a camouflage cloth used by the SL military. Gunshot wounds were also found on two of the skulls recovered on Friday. There were also teeth of children among the remains recovered on Saturday. On Monday, a full skeleton of a 6-year-old child has been exhumed. 26 skeletons have been found till Monday noon. Several skeletons recovered so far also bore marks of torture, the sources told TamilNet Monday. The exhumation effort will continue, the reports said.