Colombo mass graves: Budget estimates submitted for further digging

Siva Parameswaran

In the continuing saga of mass graves in Sri Lanka, two skeletons have been found on day three of the second phase of the excavation in the latest mass grave inside the Colombo Port. 

Further digging has been put on hold awaiting budget approval, the estimates of which have been submitted to the concerned authorities.

Two mass graves were found in the last two years in Sri Lanka. One was huge where over fifty skeletons and body parts were found, a final report of which has been submitted to the Mullaitivu court, while the exhumation in the other is in progress.

Forensic Archaeologist Prof. Raj Somadeva says the inquiry into the skeletons found in the mass grave inside the Colombo Port cannot be paused for a long time. Once the budget estimates are approved and the money is made available, he says the excavation is likely to begin on the 17th of October or even earlier than that.

“It could take at least another month to fully excavate the mass grave. The Budget estimate for the same has already been submitted to the Port police”.

When the exhumation was put on hold on the 13th of September after the first phase of excavation, at least two skeletons and four skulls were found in that mass grave. The second phase of excavation commenced on the 26th of September and ended two days later. Journalists present during this phase say they understand more skeletons to be there.

Prof. Raj Somadeva, who led the exhumation in the Kokkuthoduvai mass grave in the war-affected Mullaitivu district submitted his final report on the 26th of September to the Mullaitivu Magistrate Court.

The mass grave in Kokkuthoduvai was discovered accidentally when the water supplies department was laying pipelines along the Kokkuthoduvai Mahavidyalam-Kokkilai road on the 29th of June 2023. Body parts with pieces of clothing were found on that day. Subsequently laying of the pipes was halted and the excavation process began. 

The excavation process was conducted in three phases which was closed on the 15th of July this year (2024) as per the court order.

Senior Tamil Attorney Vallipuram Sandirapragasam Niranchan who was representing the families of the victims of the Enforced Disappearances told local journalists the final report presented to the court confirmed the bodies belonged to the erstwhile LTTE cadres who were shot dead during the 1990’s and buried unceremoniously without following the proper ritual and cultural procedures.

In the excavation at the mass grave near the Colombo Port, at least one skull of an individual was found.

Exhumation activity at the site of the mass grave inside Colombo Port began in July this year.

The first phase of exhumation at the Colombo Port mass grave was temporarily stopped on the 13th of September after 8 days of operation, during which at least two skeletons were exhumed, while four skulls were found inside the grave.

A local journalist at the site during the second excavation phase on Friday (27th September 2024) observed only one skull was recovered during the day.

The body parts found and exhumed from the mass grave during the first phase of excavation at the Colombo Port are kept in safe custody at the office of the Colombo Judicial Medical Officer.

Excavation at the huge mass grave at the Colombo Port is done under the supervision of the Colombo Judicial Medical Office Sunil Hewage and Archeological expert Prof. Raj Somadeva.

Body parts were found inside the Colombo Port when earthwork was being undertaken for the Express Highway leading towards the port. Those human remains were found for the first time in the complex which housed the old secretariat.

Upon being informed to the court, the excavation at the spot commenced on the 5th of September this year (2024) in the presence of Magistrate Bandara Ilasinghe