Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) leader and Member of Parliament Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has called for an international investigation into the Chemmani mass graves, questioning the credibility of the interim report issued by archaeologist Professor Raj Somadeva.
Speaking in Parliament yesterday during a discussion on the interim report concerning the ongoing excavations at Chemmani, Ponnambalam alleged that Somadeva had made various attempts to conceal the truth surrounding the mass graves.
He claimed that Somadeva was operating according to a predetermined agenda and described him as a Sinhala nationalist. Ponnambalam also pointed out that Somadeva had been appointed to oversee archaeological affairs in the Eastern Province during the administration of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Ponnambalam said he had previously expressed reservations about allowing Somadeva to be involved in the Chemmani excavations, insisting that only an international investigation could deliver justice and establish the truth.
He argued that the archaeologist’s interim report had reinforced the suspicions he had raised earlier regarding the investigation.
With approximately 600 bodies reportedly exhumed from the Chemmani mass graves, concerns remain that more than 600 additional bodies could still be buried at the site, Ponnambalam said. He stressed that he had no confidence in an investigation conducted solely through domestic mechanisms.
The MP further alleged that the crimes associated with Chemmani were not merely isolated acts committed by a few individuals, but were part of a deliberately organised campaign involving an entrenched mindset of criminality, which he characterised as genocide.
He also reminded the government that it had come to power promising fair investigations into past killings, abductions and other serious human rights violations committed under previous administrations.
“Why are you afraid of an international investigation if you genuinely want to uncover the truth about Chemmani?” Ponnambalam asked, reiterating his demand for an independent international inquiry.
He urged the government to reconsider its approach and take concrete steps to establish the truth about what happened at Chemmani, calling for an international criminal investigation to ensure accountability and justice for the victims.
Ponnambalam concluded by urging the government to act without further delay, stating that a credible international investigation was essential to uncovering the truth surrounding the Chemmani mass graves.
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