Excavations at Colombo Port have uncovered eight human skeletons, at a former High Security Zone (HSZ) in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, in yet another mass grave on the island.
Speaking to News First, Professor Raj Somadeva confirmed that two of the skeletons have already been excavated and are currently under police protection.
These recent findings are part of the same skeletal remains initially unearthed in July this year, at the first roundabout after entering the Colombo Port from Chaithya Road. The area also houses the old post office and Sri Lanka’s naval base. The latest remains were discovered during excavation activities for the access elevated highway, with the first remains found buried six feet deep during construction work conducted by a private firm linked to the Colombo Port City highway.
The excavation was ordered by the court, and the Colombo Additional Magistrate was present when the remains were exhumed.
“It could take at least another month to fully excavate the mass grave,” said Raj Somadeva.
The discovery of these skeletal remains is not an isolated incident; a reported mass grave was found at the Shangri-La green grounds in Colombo during the hotel’s construction in 2017. Historical records indicate that the British used the site as a cemetery, and until 2012, it served as the headquarters of Sri Lanka’s Army.
This ongoing investigation into the skeletal remains comes against a backdrop of troubling reports by local press and NGOs, which suggest that there are at least 32 mass graves scattered throughout the island, yet no one has ever been held accountable for any of these discoveries.
