Court Issues New Guidelines for Public Viewing of Chemmani Exhumation Evidence
The Jaffna Magistrate’s Court issued a set of regulations on August 2nd regarding the upcoming public viewing of clothing and other recovered artifacts and evidence unearthed during the ongoing exhumation process at the Chemmani mass grave site.
By the 03rd of August, a total of 130 skeletons had been discovered so far. Of these, 120 have been fully exhumed. August 4 & 5: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scanning will begin at the site.August 5: Clothing and other artifacts recovered from the grave will be displayed for public viewing, including for the families of the disappeared.
The excavation, taking place at the Ariyalai Siththupaththi Hindu Cemetery near the A9 road in Chemmani, is part of the court-mandated investigation into human remains uncovered at the site. As part of the judicial process, clothing and other recovered artifacts found alongside the skeletal remains will be displayed to the public for identification purposes on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, between 1:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the same location.
The court has outlined the following procedures to be strictly observed during this viewing:
1. As this is a formal judicial process, all participants are required to maintain dignity and respect for the nature of the proceedings.
2. Priority will be given to family members who have officially lodged complaints regarding Disappeared persons. These individuals are encouraged to present documents confirming their relationship to the disappeared. Decisions regarding access for others will be made based on the available data.
3. Names, NIC number (passport, or driver’s license), and addresses of all participants will be recorded by court officials.
4. Only individuals aged 21 and above will be allowed to participate.
5. The use of electronic devices is strictly prohibited. No audio or video recordings are allowed, and participants are not permitted to bring such devices into the premises.
6. The court has allowed for relatives of the disappeared persons to participate in the above proceedings accompanied by a lawyer.
7. Participants will not be allowed to touch or handle any of the items on display.
8. Since the above activity is considered a judicial proceeding, filming of the proceedings is strictly prohibited. Therefore, journalists will not be permitted to film inside the Ariyalai Siththupaththi Hindu Cemetery premises while the proceedings are underway.
The Magistrate, A.A. Anandarajah, further ordered that any violation of these regulations will result in legal action under the relevant provisions of the law.
Sources: Kumanan Kana/Jaffna
