The Mannar court took up hearings today regarding two critical human burial sites, the Mannar Thiruketheeswaram mass grave, and the Mannar Sathosa mass grave, as part of ongoing investigations into graves believed to contain the remains of disappeared Tamils. Lawyer V.S. Niranjan, representing the families of the disappeared, shared details of today’s proceedings with reporters following the court proceeding. The issue has brought renewed attention to the long-standing search for justice in Mannar.
The case concerning the Mannar Thiruketheeswaram grave was presented in court today with the presence of the judicial medical officer and officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), lawyers representing the families of the disappeared, and government representatives. During the hearing, the court acknowledged that samples from the human remains had been separated for analysis and were in its custody. The Medical officer formally requested that these samples be sent to Florida for C-14 radiocarbon dating to determine their age, a request that the court granted. The next hearing for this case has been scheduled for November 21, 2024, when a report on the status of the samples and the progress of the C-14 testing will be submitted.
Meanwhile, in the case of the Mannar Sathosa mass grave which was excavated between the 7th and 11th of this month, the court reviewed the findings today. It was reported to the courts that under the supervision of Dr. Rajapaksa and Professor Raj Somadeva, human remains were uncovered, packed, and placed under court custody. These remains were extracted from four excavation sites around the mass grave.
The court also issued an order requesting a detailed report on the human remains, including the victims' gender, age, cause of death, and estimated period of burial. The court also instructed Professor Raj Somadeva and Dr. Rajapaksa to assess whether further excavation of the burial site is necessary or if the site should be preserved as it stands. A report on these findings is also due on November 21, 2024.
Lawyer V.S. Niranjan speaking to reporters emphasised the importance of these investigations in uncovering the truth behind these mass graves, which are suspected to be of Tamils who were hastily disposed of and remain unaccounted for. This is the second time the mass grave has been presented to courts this month.
