Investigation demanded

[TamilNet, Thursday, 16 July 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Tamil political parties and human rights groups have urged the Sri Lankan government to excavate the alleged mass graves in Chemmani in Jaffna in the presence of representatives of the public where between 300 and 400 Tamils are believed to have been buried.

They have warned that they will launch aggitations against the government if it fails to expedite the investigations in to the issue, said sources in Colombo.

They said a military inquest in to the matter could not be accepted as the security forces are involved in the allegations.

The Sri Lankan government is yet to respond to their plea.

The government can not begin an investigation on information based on allegations made by a soldier who had been found guilty said Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister of Planning, Implementation, and Parliamentary Affairs, who is also the deputy minister of Justice.

First we have to find whether his allegations are valid, he added.

The Tamil parties have also raised the issue with the Sri Lankan Army command in Jaffna.

Meanwhile sources in Jaffna said that the SLA command in Jaffna was not expected react until a decision is taken on a political plan in Colombo.

The Army would prefer not to create a situation that may lead to a disharmony between the present command and the earlier one, the sources added.

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