International Oversight Essential for Chemmani Mass Graves – International Commission of Jurists

31-Jul-2025

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Given the longstanding failure of domestic mechanisms to deliver justice, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has urged that the Chemmani mass grave excavations must include consistent international oversight.

Independent international forensic experts and human rights monitors should be involved, and the government must ensure transparency with the affected families and the public.

The ICJ further urged the UN Human Rights Council to update its resolution on Sri Lanka during its 60th session in September.

As of 27 July, 101 skeletal remains, suspected to belong to children and minors, have been recovered from the Chemmani-Siththupathy site.

The ICJ emphasized that each recovered skeleton represents a grieving family and called for forensic investigations to be conducted with dignity and full participation of affected families. 

International monitoring is essential to ensure these procedures meet global human rights and legal standards.

They also referred to the testimony of Lance Corporal Somaratna Rajapaksa in the Krishanthi Kumaraswamy rape and murder case, which initially drew national and international attention to the Chemmani site in 1998. 

Since then, mass disappearances and severe human rights abuses have persisted in Sri Lanka.

Despite commitments made in the 2015 UNHRC resolution, Sri Lanka has failed to implement most recommendations.

The Office on Missing Persons, established in 2016, has faced setbacks due to politicization, limited independence, and lack of public trust. 

The ICJ urged the office to reaffirm its independence and engage transparently with affected families, following international standards.

This excavation should not be limited to forensic recovery but serve as a foundation for full investigations, identification of perpetrators, prosecution, and adequate reparations for victims.