Public seek answers from Chemmani evidence

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2000, 21:22 GMT]
Evidence in the Chemmani mass graves case were displayed at the Jaffna Central College today for identification. The evidence was desplayed from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Nearly 200 people came to find if any of unearthed objects belonged to relatives who have been reported 'missing'.
Full story >>

Relatives to identify Chemmani skeletons

[TamilNet, Sunday, 20 February 2000, 17:08 GMT]
Fifteen of the 17 human skeletons exhumed from Chemmani graves in Jaffna will be kept for identification by the relatives of the missing. More than 600 persons were reported missing during 1996 and 1997 after the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) troops took control of Jaffna.
Full story >>

Tamils mourn Ponnambalam's death

[TamilNet, Saturday, 08 January 2000, 23:59 GMT]
The killing of Kumar Ponnambalam on January 5 has triggered a wave of emotion across the Tamil Diaspora. Sadness and anger has been expressed by Tamil community organisations and individuals in statements and messages on bulletin boards. Ponnmabalam's death has arguably been the main topic of conversation amongst Tamils recently - as is his last public letter to President Chandrika Kumaratunge and the latter's recent stern warning to supporters of the Liberation Tigers.
Full story >>

Jaffna NGOs appeal to UN

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 December 1999, 21:42 GMT]
The Consortium of Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Jaffna, Sri Lanka has appealed to the Secretary-General of United Nations to prevail on the warring parties to agree for an immediate cessation of hostilities and to initiate peace talks.
Full story >>

Chemmani report submitted to Court

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 December 1999, 12:36 GMT]
A seventy-five page report about the exhumations conducted at the Chemmani graves recently was submitted to the Jaffna Magistrate, Mr. M. Illancheliyan, this morning by State Counsel Yasantha Gothakoda. Thirty-three of the pages contained photographs of the skeletons exhumed from the site.
Full story >>

"This matter is by no means settled"

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 December 1999, 16:21 GMT]
The Missing Persons Guardian Association (MPGA) and the Consortium of the Non Governmental Agencies (NGO) in Jaffna launched a hunger strike today, demanding the Sri Lankan government take prompt and concrete steps to trace those who went missing whilst in Sri Lankan military custody.
Full story >>

MPGA warns of hunger strike

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 October 1999, 09:11 GMT]
The Missing Persons Guardian Association (MPGA) in Jaffna has warned that it will launch a hunger strike if Government authorities do not reveal, before the 30 October, the details of those who have been arrested by the security forces in the northern peninsula and reported missing.
Full story >>

Chemmani investigations: Statements to be taken from SLA officers

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 October 1999, 11:39 GMT]
State Counsel, Yasantha Kothagoda, said earlier today that Police will begin recording statements today from the 20 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officers who have been named by the key witnesses during the investigations into the Chemmani mass graves.
Full story >>

Rajapaksha recalled to identify more graves

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 14 September 1999, 12:59 GMT]
The key witness in the investigation in to the Chemmani mass grave, ex-corporal Somaratna Rajapaksha, will have to be flown to Jaffna again to identify graves there, legal sources in Jaffna said today.
Full story >>

Investigators find another skeleton

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 September 1999, 10:01 GMT]
Investigators found a finger bone and a red hat while removing the upper soil at a depth of 1.5 feet in the general area near the Chemmani junction Sri Lanka Army checkpoint today. The skeleton of a man was found when the spot was dug further.
Full story >>

Chemmani: alleged rape victim's body found

[TamilNet, Thursday, 09 September 1999, 14:15 GMT]
Three human skeletons, including one suspected to be that of a woman allegedly raped and beaten to death by a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officer, were found today in a grave pointed out by ex-corporal Somaratna Rajapaksha, the key witness in the investigation into the mass graves at Chemmani and Ariyalai near Jaffna.
Full story >>

Investigators find human skull

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 08 September 1999, 06:53 GMT]
A human skull was dug by investigators up around noon today from a pit in the general area identified near the Chemmani Sri Lankan army checkpoint last week by the key witness into the alleged mass graves of Tamils in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Two skeletons found at Chemmani

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 07 September 1999, 11:03 GMT]
(Corrected) Investigators digging the alleged graves of civilians killed and buried by Sri Lankan security forces at Chemmani found two human skeletons this afternoon at a spot in which Forensic expert Prof. Chandrasiri Niriella, had earlier found evidence of human remains.
Full story >>

Mass graves judge reprimands Jaffna SLA commanders

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 September 1999, 12:58 GMT]
The Jaffna district judge Manikkavasagam Ilancheliyan severely reprimanded the Jaffna Sri Lankan Security Forces Commander Lohan Gunawardana and the Sri Lankan Army's 51 division General Officer Commanding (GOC) Maj.Gen.Nihal Marambe this afternoon for interfering in the Chemmmani court proceedings and investigations into the alleged mass graves of civilians arrested and believed to be killed by the army in the peninsula in 1996-97.
Full story >>

Excavators fail to find bodies

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 September 1999, 12:49 GMT]
No bodies or human skeletal remains were found today by investigators who cleared and dug the area in Chemmani near Jaffna town where ex-corporal Somaratna Rajapksha had earlier claimed were four graves in which eight bodies of civilians arrested and allegedly killed by the Sri Lankan army were buried.
Full story >>

Batticaloa mass graves investigation urged on massacre anniversary

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 September 1999, 10:29 GMT]
Prayers and token fasts were held in Tamil temples and churches in many parts of the Batticaloa district today to mark the memory of the 158 Tamil refugees who went missing after they were arrested and dragged away by the Sri Lanka Army from the Eastern University campus at Vanthaarumoolai on September 5, 1990.
Full story >>

Chemmani exhumations next week - AG

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 September 1999, 20:01 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Attorney General's Department said in a news release issued Tuesday night that the exhumations of alleged graves in Chemmani, Jaffna of civilians murdered by Sri Lanka Army troops would recommence on September 6.
Full story >>

Ex-SLA troops identify further graves

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 01 September 1999, 16:04 GMT]
Former Sri Lanka Army Corporal Somaratna Rajapaksha and ex-soldier S.A.Perera today identified five more grave sites in the Ariyalai area in Jaffna where Tamil civilians arrested by Government troops were allegedly killed and buried.
Full story >>

Ex-soldiers identify more Jaffna grave sites

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 31 August 1999, 18:35 GMT]
Fourteen places where scores of arrested Tamil civilians were allegedly killed and buried by the Sri Lanka Army in and around Chemmani near Jaffna town in 1996 and 1997 were identified today by ex-soldiers convicted in the rape and murder of the Jaffna school girl Krishanthy Kumarasamy.
Full story >>

Key witness identifies Jaffna grave sites

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 August 1999, 12:28 GMT]
Ex. Sri Lanka Army Corporal Somaratna Rajapaksha identified five places near Jaffna town today in which, according to him, about forty-three civilians arrested and killed by Sri Lankan Security forces may lie buried. The Jaffna press was briefed on the developments by state counsel Yasantha Kothagoda this afternoon at Chemmani.
Full story >>