582 skeletons, including children, discovered in Sri Lanka mass grave

Excavation at a mass grave in Sri Lanka has led to the discovery of 582 skeletons, including those of babies and children, according to a report in The Telegraph and Al Jazeera. The remains are believed to be of civilians who disappeared during Sri Lanka's bloody civil war, which broke out between government forces and the LTTE (Tamil Tigers), which demanded an independent Tamil state.

The excavation at Chemmani, near Jaffna, has also led to the recovery of items like toys, milk bottles, school bags, shoes and bangles. A human skeleton with both hands bound against the chest was also found, the report said.

MASS GRAVES AND SRI LANKA'S BLOODY PAST

It marks the largest such discovery at Chemmani, a site linked to allegations that the Sri Lankan military killed Tamil civilians during the civil war. Last year, 240 human skeletal remains were unearthed at the same mass gravesite.

In fact, Chemmani has been suspected as a mass grave site since 1998. A Sri Lankan soldier, who at the time was on trial for the rape and murder of a schoolgirl, told investigators that 300-400 Tamils, who were in the custody of the military, were killed and buried at Chemmani.

An excavation was ordered in 1999, which led to the discovery of 15 skeletons. A government probe revealed that 10 of the 15 skeletons bore marks of grievous assault. The inquiry was then stopped. The latest discoveries come after decades of delays and lack of funding.

Specifically, Wednesday's discovery comes months after construction workers discovered skeletal remains near a Hindu cremation ground. It prompted the current excavation.

The government has allocated £47,000 (around Rs 62 lakh) for excavation of the mass graves.

More than 1,00,000 people were killed in the war between the LTTE, led by Velupillai Prabhakaran, and the government forces since it started in 1983. After decades of fighting, the conflict ended with the defeat of the LTTE. However, the conflict left thousands, mainly minority Tamils, missing.

However, not only the Sri Lankan security forces, but also the LTTE have been accused of abductions, killings, rape and other abuses.

Jaffna, where Chemmani is located, was under military control from 1995 until the end of the war.

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