Chemmani: Skeleton of woman found

[TamilNet, Saturday, 11 September 1999, 19:12 GMT]
A skeleton believed to be of a woman was found by the investigators at Chemmani mass grave site in the Jaffna peninsula today. The skeleton was found at a site behind a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sentry near the Chemmani junction, identified by the key witness, ex-coporal Somaratna Rajapaksha.

Excavation of the site, identified by the courts as 'site B,' began at 9 a.m. this morning. Five skeletons have been found at this site during the past few days.

Investigators have found 10 skeletons at Chemmani and Ariyalai where, according to the witnesses, hundreds of Tamil civilians arrested by the SLA are killed and buried.

The excavation will resume on Monday at "site C". According to the witness at least 20 bodies are buried here.

Meanwhile Missing Persons' Guardian Association said 24 civilians who were arrested on 19 July 1996 at Kaithady, Navatkuli, and Maravanpulo are believed to have been buried behind a rice mill at Navatkuli and not at Chemmani. Some bodies are believed to have been disposed in wells, the organisation added.

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