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Lankan experts begin investigating alleged mass graves

A team from the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department began investigating the mass graves in Chemmani in Jaffna where hundreds of civilians were allegedly killed and buried by the military.

Police officers and forensic science experts have collected soil samples. Additional District Magistrate N Arulsagaran has instructed them to submit their findings by March 26 to decide whether to dig up the area and exhume the bodies, if any are indeed buried there.

A large number of journalists, both local and foreign, have flown into Jaffna with representatives of non-governmental organisations and the Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission.

Chemmani shot into the limelight after retired armyman Somaratne Rajapakshe made the sensational disclosure during a trial involving the murder of a schoolgirl that hundreds of civilians were killed by the armed forces and buried in Chemmani.

Rajapakshe is accused in the rape and murder of Krishanti Kumaraswamy last August.

UNI

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