• Finds it impractical per shift rosters to frequently rotate or assign different cops to provide security to excavation site, notes lack of Police authority to ‘influence, interfere’ 

In the wake of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) observing that the continued involvement of regular Police officers at the Chemmani mass grave site is likely to prejudice the relevant investigations’ outcome, the Ministry of Public Security stated that it is not practical to frequently rotate or assign different Police officers to the excavation.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala said that Police officers from nearby stations are deployed according to shift rosters and are present solely to provide security to the site. “That is how policing is done. Officers have to be deployed to a particular place from nearby stations. There is no alternative. We can’t deploy Police officers from Colombo to Chemmani, can we?”

He added that the excavation work is conducted under the supervision of the relevant court, and that the Police have no authority to influence or interfere in the investigative process. “Police officers are there only to provide security. Their presence will not make any impact on the investigations’ outcome.”

The HRCSL recently carried out a fact-finding mission at the Chemmani site, where more than 200 human remains had already been unearthed. During its visit, the HRCSL engaged with staff from the Office on Missing Persons, attorneys and civil society representatives of families of the disappeared, Jaffna Magistrate (at the time) Amalavalan Anandarajah (since elevated as a High Court Judge), and several other parties. 

In its findings, the HRCSL noted that overseas expertise and advanced technology would be required to complete the investigation effectively. It also warned that the continued involvement of regular Police officers may prejudice the outcome of the investigations.

Excavations at Chemmani resumed in July of last year (2024) under court supervision, with archaeologists, forensic experts and the Criminal Investigation Department overseeing the process. By now, more than 200 sets of human remains have been recovered, making it one of the largest mass graves discovered in the Northern Province since the end of the internal conflict.