Will a Government That Fails to Deliver Justice for JVP Killings Deliver It for Tamils? – Fr. Sakthivel's Question

21-Jul-2025

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Somaratne Rajapakse, the primary suspect in the murder of Krishanthi Kumaraswamy, gave testimony stating that more than 400 people were killed and buried in Chemmani. 

This confession was suppressed by both then-President Chandrika Kumaratunga and current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. These people were murdered because they were Tamils. 

A government that does not seek justice even for the killings of its own Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) members—how can it be expected to deliver justice for Tamils? So questioned Father Sakthivel, coordinator of the National Movement for the Release of Political Prisoners.

Members of the "People's Power for Justice" movement held a protest in front of the Colombo Fort railway station, emphasizing the message: "Rise Against the Chemmani Social Massacre." Fr. Sakthivel made these remarks while speaking to the media at the protest.

He further elaborated: "In the 1990s, the Sri Lankan military brought the Northern Province completely under its control. During this period, Krishanthi Kumaraswamy, a schoolgirl, was arrested, subjected to violence, and brutally murdered by soldiers. When her mother, brother, and a neighbor went in search of her, they too were murdered."

A legal case was filed in relation to this incident. The main witness, Somaratne Rajapakse—a Sinhala soldier from the South—testified that “more than 400 people were killed and buried in Chemmani.” These individuals were forcibly arrested, tortured, and murdered. Their bodies were buried in mass graves.

Despite this, both former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chose to suppress this testimony. 

Last month, during reconstruction work in the Chemmani area, human skeletal remains were discovered, prompting excavation. So far, more than 60 sets of human remains have been unearthed.

Among the remains are those of infants and children. Alongside the skeletons, school bags and dolls were also found. Who branded these children as terrorists? Who painted them as enemies of the state? They were killed for being Tamils—not for being terrorists. This is why we demand justice.

We know that no government has delivered justice for such atrocities. Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga was portrayed as a dove of peace. But she waged war and orchestrated killings. Mahinda Rajapaksa committed genocide. Ranil and Gotabaya, too, are responsible for ethnic massacres.

The Chemmani massacre stands as testimony to genocide. Genocide began in the 1990s. The government cannot deliver justice because they fear the military. They continue to live under its protection.

In Matale, a mass grave of JVP members was discovered. We demanded justice. But the JVP itself did not demand justice for its own members. If they did not demand justice for their own, how can we expect them to demand justice for Tamils?

The international community must recognize that genocide occurred in the North and East. These killings happened simply because they were Tamils. Justice will only come if the right to self-determination is recognized. Only then will justice prevail.