JAFFNA — Workers extending a cremation ground in Chemmani discovered human remains in February, prompting an extensive archaeological investigation that concluded in August.
Excavators unearthed the skeletal remains of 572 people, including children and infants. The discovery marks the largest mass grave ever found in Sri Lanka, according to investigators.
Among the remains, archaeologists found personal items including bangles, a school bag and a milk bottle.
A soldier on trial for rape and murder during Sri Lanka's civil war had previously mentioned a mass grave containing hundreds of bodies. Rights groups have long asserted that many of those who disappeared were civilians.
Tamil families have sought answers about relatives lost during the conflict. Jeyaruby Jeyabalan's father was among thousands who vanished during the decades-long war.
Many Tamils believe the grave holds victims of extrajudicial killings. They have called for a thorough investigation and justice for those found.
The excavation proceeded slowly, testing the patience of families searching for clarity. The discovery has intensified anger within the Tamil community, which has demanded an inquiry into disappearances.
Tamil leaders have expressed concern that the mass grave will lose public attention without political will to uncover the full truth. The site has become a focal point for protests across Sri Lanka's northern regions.
Sri Lanka's civil war lasted 26 years, from 1983 to 2009, deeply dividing the island along ethnic lines. Tamil Tiger rebels, officially known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, fought for an independent state in the northeast, citing systematic discrimination by the Sinhalese-dominated government.
The conflict left an estimated 100,000 dead and approximately 23,000 missing, mostly Tamils. Both Sri Lankan security forces and the Tamil Tigers face accusations of committing atrocities.
The Sri Lankan army took control of the Jaffna Peninsula in 1995 after bloody fighting, a key turning point that ultimately led to the Tigers' defeat in 2009.
During the late 1990s, as the army expanded control, Chemmani became a high-security zone with numerous army camps, checkpoints and security posts. An army camp was situated near the cemetery. Some described the Jaffna region at the time as an open prison.
