Mass Graves in the Tamil Homeland

Presented at International Conference on Tamil Nationhood and Search for Peace in Carleton University Ottawa, Canada May 21, 1999 Outline

Chemmani Mass Grave Stadium Grave Other Mass Graves Exhumation Procedures Prosecution of Perpetrators Conditions of Genocide Conclusions Chemmani Timeline

Military Makes > 600 Disappearances of Tamils Continue Tamil Civilians Disappear

Military Invasion of Military Occupation of Jaffna Continues 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Murder of Krishanthi & Rajapakse's Confession June 15, 1999 Family, Sept. 7, 1996 July 3, 1998 Exhumation Begins

No Action by SLG on Chemmani Allegations To Jaffna Town To Nallur Chemmani Mass Grave

A9

Chemmani Mass Grave Site N

SLA check post Brother

Mother

SLA check post Clothing

Krishanthi

Se cur ity Zone Uppu Aaru Lagoon (Salt Pan)

Scale ~ 1 mile A9

Kaithadi SLA check post

Navatkuli To Kilinochchi / Kandy Source: Yukthiya map July 13, 1998 Details added using Sri Lanka survey map Where are Mass Graves in ?

Stadium Chemmani N Jaffna

Kilinochchi Oddusudan Manal Aaru A9

Navalady Saththurukkondaan Batticaloa Kandy

Kokkaddichcholai Veeramunai Bolgoda Lake Pandiruppu Udumbankulam More Mass Graves & Massacres in Tamil Homeland

1987 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

Jan. 1987 1st Kokkaddichchcholai Massacre

1989? Stadium mass grave

1990 Navalady & other mass graves in east

Sept. 1990 Sathurukkondan mass grave

Jan. 1991 2nd Kokkadichcholai massacre

July 1995 Bolgoda Lake killings

Feb. 1996 Kumarapuram massacre

1996 Chemmani mass graves

1998 4th Mile Post massacre

1998 600 Oddusudan disappearances Procedure for Excavation of Mass Graves

Mapping of Grave Site [Forensic Anthropologists & Geologists] Collection of Pre-death Data [Anthropologists] Exhumation of Graves [Forensic Archaeologists] Autopsies and DNA Analysis [Pathologists] Forensic Reports Submitted to International War Crime Tribunal

Source: Physicians for Human Rights website (www.phrusa.org) & Argentine Forensic Antropology Team Chain of Command - 1996 During Chemmani Murders in Jaffna Pres. Minister of Defence & Positions in 1999 Commander-in-Chief Gen. Head of Joint Operations Bureau Deputy Minister of Defence

Gen. Rohan Daluwatte Governor of Northeast Province Army Commander (GOC)

Brig. Gen. Jayawardhana Army Commander (GOC) Northern Headquarters, Vavuniya

Brig. Sri Lal Weerasooriya Deputy Chief of Staff Jaffna Commander

Brig. Janaka Perera In charge of Chemmani area

2nd Lt. Shashinda Thudugala In charge of Chemmani Chk Points

Cpl. Somaratna Rajapakse & others Sentenced to death Conclusions

Neutral international body for credibile exhumation Intl. War Crimes Tribunal needed to prosecute offenders Impunity for security forces too widespread Mass graves are symptom of genocide