As many as 52 skeletal remains, fragments of artillery, and clothing resembling LTTE uniforms have been recovered from the 10 days of excavation work at the Kokkuthoduvai mass grave site.
On the 10th day itself, researchers unearthed 12 human remains alone and proceeded to gather more evidence for identification.
The third phase of excavation of the Kokkuthoduvai mass grave began on July 4, after months of delays from Sri Lankan authorities who claimed that there was insufficient funding to undertake this research.
Initial findings suggest that the mass grave site contains the bodies of dozens of LTTE cadres.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) usually buries the bodies of fallen fighters in cemeteries that once dotted across the Tamil homeland, but have now been destroyed by the Sri Lankan government. The nature of the mass grave however suggests that the killings or burial of the bodies took place under Sri Lankan military control.
V. Niranjan, attorney-at-law after appearing on behalf of the families of the disappeared spoke at the scene of the mass grave and said that preliminary research has found that many of the bodies showed signs of being riddled with gunshot wounds. In some of the situations he said that the clothes had been torn off from the body. He said this is an indication violence and abuse, which could constitute human rights violations.
"52 human remains have been uncovered during the excavation of the Kokkuthoduvai mass grave site,” he said. “We believe that many of them maybe members of the LTTE and a majority of them being women."
"The investigations into the evidence are ongoing by Prof. Raj Somadeva and his team, they will begin carbon dating to identity the exact period these bodies were buried and other significant evidence that can be collated to make a stronger case."
