Mass Graves in the Tamil Homeland
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Mass Graves in the Tamil Homeland Presented at International Conference on Tamil Nationhood and Search for Peace in Sri Lanka 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 Jaffna 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 N Chemmani Mass Grave Site 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 Tamil Eelam ? Stadium Chemmani N Jaffna Kilinochchi Oddusudan Manal Aaru A9 Navalady Saththurukkondaan Batticaloa Kandy Kokkaddichcholai Veeramunai Colombo 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. Chandrika Kumaratunga Minister of Defence & Positions in 1999 Commander-in-Chief Gen. Anuruddha Ratwatte 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 .