British Tamil Forum expresses concern over Raj Somadeva's report

25-Oct-2026

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The British Tamil Forum has called for unsubstantiated theories attributing the Chemmani mass grave to natural disasters to be avoided, and for an independent international forensic investigation, with a defined timeframe, into the human skeletal remains recovered from the site.

Several aspects of the interim summary report submitted by Professor of Archaeology Raj Somadeva to the Jaffna Magistrate's Court on October 19, concerning the human skeletal remains recovered from the Chemmani and Sithupathi mass grave site have caused serious dissatisfaction among the affected communities.

The report reportedly raises the possibility that, given the large number of bodies buried at the Chemmani mass grave, they could have belonged to people who died from an infectious disease or natural disaster. It also suggests that the apparent absence of a large quantity of clothing at the site could be explained by the possibility that the clothing had decomposed. Several other related observations have also been included in the report.

In a statement issued in this regard, the British Tamil Forum further stated:

A total of 583 human skeletal remains have been recovered so far from the mass grave discovered in Chemmani, Jaffna. These include the remains of children and infants. Other items, including schoolbags, feeding bottles and toys, have also been found at the site.

Against this background, we are deeply concerned by Professor Raj Somadeva's suggestion that the human remains excavated from the Chemmani mass grave could belong to people who died from an infectious disease or natural disaster.

Given that his primary area of expertise is colonial-period and environmental archaeology, we fear that assumptions of this nature, made by someone without specialised training in conventional forensic archaeology, could obscure the truth and divert attention away from possible criminal acts.

A recent report by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka noted that the burial of bodies in a disorderly manner without clothing was contrary to Hindu religious burial practices, thereby raising suspicions that crimes may have occurred at the site.

In this context, investigations into the Chemmani mass grave must be conducted with the participation of international forensic experts and anthropologists to establish the facts and bring those responsible to justice.

The report prepared by the archaeological expert must also be subjected to an independent review by an international panel of experts, the statement emphasised.