Civil society organizations and members of the public from the Eelam Tamil community have issued a declaration calling for an international justice mechanism to address Chemmani and other mass graves.
The Tamil National Council invited the declaration following a gathering held on 13 September at Kittu Park in Nallur, Jaffna. Participants called for an international investigation into Chemmani and other sites believed to contain human remains.
The declaration noted that around 600 human skeletal remains have been recovered from the Chemmani–Siththupaththi mass grave. It called for excavations and forensic analyses to be carried out with the participation of international experts and for all evidence obtained to be properly preserved. It also called for the United Nations to conduct investigations into the matter under its full responsibility.
The declaration further called for an independent and impartial international investigative mechanism to examine alleged international crimes committed against the Tamil people. It also called for an international mechanism to investigate the fate of persons subjected to enforced disappearance, the release of political detainees held for extended periods, and the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
In addition, the declaration called for the removal of militarisation affecting the normal civilian life of people in the Northern and Eastern regions, and for the protection of Tamil history, culture and heritage.
It also called for measures to prevent the recurrence of genocide against the Tamil people, an end to alleged structural forms of ethnic destruction, and the establishment of sustainable reconciliation.
