Chemmani excavation : 583 skeletal remains recovered
After 110 days of excavation across three phases, 583 identified sets of remains have been recovered, but archaeological, forensic and carbon-14 examinations remain pending, with major decisions expected at an October 14 administrative meeting, the Tamil Guardian has reported. The third phase of excavation at the alleged Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna concluded last […]
After 110 days of excavation spread across three phases, 583 distinct sets of skeletal remains have been recovered at the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna, though further examinations are still pending, according to the Tamil Guardian. The third phase concluded on Wednesday, with 10 sets completely exhumed, bringing the total to 583 remains.
All identified sets have now been exhumed. The excavation lasted 110 days, following court authorization for nine days, 45 days, and 56 days respectively for each phase. The site yielded 51 clusters of remains, raising concerns about its scale and nature. During the final day of excavation, archaeologists discovered an atchara koodu, coins, three copper rings, and a thaayathu, which will be handed over to Professor Raj Somadeva for further analysis.
The report on these items and the likely period they date from is expected by September 30. The test pits opened outside the main burial area also revealed additional remains, suggesting more might exist beyond the primary excavation site. This has sparked discussions about expanding the investigation's geographical scope and conducting further excavation.
Reports on the archaeological and forensic findings, including Professor Somadeva's and Judicial Medical Officer Sellaiah Pranavan's, are due for submission and review at the administrative meeting on October 14. The Criminal Investigation Department has requested carbon-14 testing, also expected at the meeting. Despite the extensive excavation, the investigation's outcome remains contingent on pending reports and assessments.
The possibility of a fourth excavation phase is under consideration, pending a court approval for 28 more days of excavation, which would need funding approval from the Ministry of Justice. The excavation process, while long, does not yet provide definitive findings. The recent excavations precede the 30th anniversary of the murder of schoolgirl Krishanthy Kumaraswamy and her family, who were killed by Sri Lankan soldiers at Chemmani in 1996.
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