International Call for Urgent Action on Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka
BTF News
International Call for Urgent Action on Enforced Disappearances in Sri Lanka
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) warns that “Sri Lanka continues to have one of the highest numbers of unresolved enforced disappearances worldwide, with the Chemmani mass grave site standing as a painful reminder of this ongoing human rights crisis. The site first came to international attention in 1998 after the confession of a Sri Lankan soldier involved in the rape and murder of schoolgirl Krishanthy Kumaraswamy.”
Although 15 skeletons were exhumed at the Chemmani site in 1999, the investigation was abruptly halted that same year without any credible explanation. To this day, no individuals - particularly those in positions of command, have been held accountable for the torture, sexual violence, extrajudicial executions, and enforced disappearances linked to the site. Furthermore, there has been no progress in determining the fate or whereabouts of the 628 individuals reported missing between 1996 and 1998, during the period when Jaffna district was under the control of Sri Lankan security forces.
The ICJ stresses the urgent need for sustained international oversight as Sri Lanka resumes the exhumation process. Past investigations into mass graves - including those at Chemmani, Mannar (2018), and other sites - have failed to deliver truth or justice, often stalled or suppressed by domestic judicial mechanisms.
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) supports the calls from families of the disappeared and local human rights groups for international oversight and technical expertise. This includes the deployment of independent international forensic experts and human rights observers, transparent and timely updates to families and the public, and rigorous protection of evidence to ensure future criminal accountability.
Although Sri Lanka is a State Party to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (CPED), it has failed to implement its international obligations. Despite ratifying these treaties and enacting domestic legislation - such as the CPED Act - no successful prosecutions have taken place, and investigations remain superficial or ineffective.
International law requires that the Chemmani investigation goes beyond identifying human remains. It must uncover the full chain of responsibility, uphold victims’ rights, and preserve the site in accordance with international human rights standards.
Given Sri Lanka’s persistent impunity, ongoing cover-ups, and refusal to cooperate with international justice mechanisms, the British Tamils Forum (BTF) calls for:
An internationally mandated mechanism to assume custody of all identified and suspected mass grave sites—including Chemmani, Kokkuthoduvai, Muthur and Mannar.
The immediate deployment of international forensic and investigative teams.
The use of satellite imagery, forensic expertise, DNA sampling and recovery tracking to secure and examine remains and evidence gathered in prior investigations.
Such actions by the international community would send a strong and unequivocal message: those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide will not be shielded from accountability - whether in Sri Lanka or anywhere else.
Contact: BTF MEDIA Tel: +44 (0) 7825 448 753
Email: ne...@britishtamilsforum.org
Best Wishes
S. Sangeeth
BTF Media Contact
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