Lanka Files

The number of identified bodies rise to 275 by the end of today’s excavation work at Sri Lanka's second largest mass grave after the unearthing of 5 more skeletons. 272 skeletons including those of infants have been recovered from Chemmani mass grave within 69 days of excavations

Another skeleton was found on 01st June 2026 when excavation work led by archaeologist Prof. Raj Somadeva resumed at Sri Lanka’s 2nd largest mass grave after a 3 week break. So far, 262 bodies including those of children have been identified from the work carried out in Chemmani for 67 days.

Hundreds of Tamils in the northern Kilinochchi district took to the streets protesting Sri Lanka government plans to quarry limestone, mine mineral sands & instal windmills affecting the livelihoods and ecosystem in localities including Veravil, Valaipadu, Ponnaveli and Kiranchi.

"No Pardon for Child Abuse" "Sri Lanka Government - Don't Protect Criminals" In Jaffna, North East Women's Collective protested near the Nallur Kandasamy Kovil urging government to take immediate action against a Senior Buddhist monk accused of sexually abusing a girl child.

🚨Largely Tamil and Muslim women representing eight districts of Sri Lanka's North & East took to the streets of Sri Lanka's eastern town of Batticaloa protesting apparent delay in delivering justice to a girl child allegedly abused by senior Buddhist monk Pallegama Hemarathana.

Malaiyaha Tamil journalist Sambasivam Satheeskumar has lodged a complaint with Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary and National Police Commission over policemen obstructing his coverage of a double murder by deleting gathered video footage and threatening him not to report the story.

“It was bloody cold. At night what they did was they flooded the area with sea water and the container didn’t have a door” Sameera Mehboobdeen back in Sri Lanka following her heroic Global Sumud Flotilla voyage to break the blockade of Gaza recounts her ordeal at the hands of Israel.

Following a 3 day Magnetotelluric Audio-frequency scanning of sites where suspected mass graves are located in Sri Lanka's eastern town of Kurukkalmadam, Kaluwanchikudy Magistrate Tharmalingam Pradeepan directs archeologist Prof. Raj Somadeva to submit a report on findings on 22.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka Arun Hemachandra tells Parliament that Sri Lanka’s embassy in Tel Aviv formally requested consular access to confirm Global Sumud Flotilla activist Sameera Mehboobdeen’s condition, ensure her safety, & verify legal & procedural aspects of her detention.

Activists of the Free Palestine Movement of Sri Lanka and trade unionists protest in Colombo demanding the immediate intervention to secure the release of abducted Sameera Mehboobdeen. "It is our duty to save Sri Lankan citizens held anywhere in the world" Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka official.

"My government and I are not here to investigate whether the war was good or bad" Sri Lanka president Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressing the 17th National War Heroes’ Day event assures no action will be taken for accountability over alleged war crimes & crimes against humanity.

Tense situation in Sri Lanka's capital when a Sinhala pro - war group full of hatred tried to disrupt a commemoration held on the western coast of Wellawatta to the memory of Tamil civilians killed in the north eastern coastal strip of Mullivaikkal 17 years ago.

Tamils in Jaffna marked the Golden Jubilee of the Vaddukoddai Resolution that called for the creation of an independent Tamil Eelam, which enabled a Tamil political party -TULF in 1977 to be elected as the second largest party & lead the opposition for the first time in Sri Lanka. #vadukkodai

In Chemmani – where Sri Lanka has the second largest known mass grave so far - excavation work was temporarily suspended on Saturday (09). 261 bodies including those of infants have been discovered at the site by the time. Excavations are to resume on June 1.

The number of skeletons discovered at the Chemmani mass grave in northern Sri Lanka goes up to 260 with three more bodies found on Friday (8) - the 11th day of excavations in the third stage. 256 bodies have been removed from the site so far. Excavations continue.

More infant skeletons recovered from Chemmani mass grave site in Sri Lanka's war affected north. Most of the remains unearthed on May 6 and 7 belong to babies. “254 human skeletons have been excavated out of identified 259” Lawyer VS Niranjan

Dressed in white, convicts of the brutal abduction, gang rape, and murder of 18 years old Jaffna schoolgirl Sivaloganathan Vidya in 2015 are escorted by prison officials after the death sentence of the perpetrators was confirmed by Sri Lanka’s supreme court on Wednesday (06.05.2026).

252 human skeletons recovered from the Chemmani mass grave in northern Sri Lanka. On Wednesday (06.05.2026) investigators conducting excavations unearthed two mounds of bone fragments.

The skeleton of another infant was unearthed at the Chemmani mass grave bringing the total number of bodies found at Sri Lanka's second largest mass burial site to 247. Investigators fear the discovery of more bodies and other evidence of a mass crime as excavations continue.

"People's land should be with the people" Tamils from Jaffna's Valikamam north protest in front of the area commander's official residence on International Workers Day demanding the release of their land lost to Sri Lanka military occupation for over three decades.

In Vanni, journalists of Mullaitivu Press Club marked 21 years since the abduction, torture and killing of Dharmaretnam Sivaram, founder editor of TamilNet - a trailblazing website on Sri Lanka. Public commemorations were also held in the country's north and east.

On the fourth day of resumed excavations at Sri Lanka's second largest mass grave, investigators have come across another body bringing the number of bodies including chidren to 241. Judicial Medical Officers at the site have identified the find as the skeletal of a youngster.

A group of Indian fishermen assaulted three Sri Lankan fishermen from Jaffna mid sea and abducted one alleges a young Tamil who managed to return with visible injuries. The Sri Lankan handed over to police in Tamilnadu and his crew are accused of attempting to rob the Indian boat.

The General Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers' Union, Joseph Stalin, states that the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission has suspended 190 teacher transfers carried out by the Governor, the Presidential Representative of the Northern Province, in violation of the due process.

On day 3 of renewed excavations after a pause for 7 months, more human remains found at the Chemmani mass grave in northern Sri Lanka where 240 skeletons have been discovered "Bones have been identified at northwestern zone where work has already started" Ranitha Gnanarajah AAL

Tamilnadu fishermen had beat up a Sri Lankan and handed him over to marine police in Vedaranyam alleging he was a member of a group that attempted to rob them mid sea off the coast of Nagapattinam. Indian press quoting police has identified him as Dayanas of Anthoniyarpuram.

The second day of the third stage of excavations in Chemmani - Sri Lanka's second largest mass grave - was carried out under the supervision of Jaffna Magistrate Selvanayagam Leninkumar.

Eastern Province Journalists' Association and Batticaloa Press Club led a memorial at the Batticaloa fallen journalists monument to commemorate TamilNet founder editor Dharmeratnam Sivaram (Taraki) abducted, killed and the body dumped in the suburbs of Sri Lanka's capital 21 years ago.

A simple commemoration was held in the weekend in the memory of 17 Tamils including three babies of the same family, from Paddithidal in the eastern Trincomalee district, who were killed while praying allegedly by the Sri Lankan military 39 years ago following a clash with LTTE.

Excavation work at Chemmani – Sri Lanka’s second largest mass grave – recommenced on Monday (27) after a pause of seven months. Authorities have approved the sum of LKR 2.1m to continue with the work at the site where 240 bodies have been found so far.

Writers, journalists, politicians and grassroots activists held protests in Kilinochchi and Sri Lanka's northern cultural capital of Jaffna condemning the government banning two books by Tamil author Theepachelvan Piratheepan

Sri Lanka court detains 22 Buddhist monks who have been arrested while returning from Thailand with over 110 kilograms of narcotics worth more than one billion rupees. Officials say this is the largest drug bust at the the country's main international airport, BIA

Journalists, trade unionists, lawyers and civil society activists rallied in Colombo today to condemn Sri Lanka's security and cultural authorities banning books by Tamil writer Theepachelvan Piratheepan. "The security of the writer from Kilinochchi is also threatened" Kathyana Amarasinghe

Addressing Parliament of Sri Lanka, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala stated that the Easter Sunday bombings, which claimed nearly 300 lives seven years ago, were not an isolated act of terror but part of a conspiracy planned since 2017.

Procession to Batticaloa, held in memory of Kanapathipillai Poopathi - affectionately known as "Poopathi Amma," a mother of ten who sacrificed her life in a fast unto death 38 years ago demanding a ceasefire between the IPKF & the LTTE - begins at Thileepan Memorial in Jaffna.

Jaffna Magistrate Selvanayagam Leninkumar grants permission for several foreign envoys including the head of EU mission in Sri Lanka to visit Sri Lanka’s second largest mass grave in Chemmani. Attorney at Law Ranitha Gnanarajah [Subtitled].

Excavation work at a land in eastern Sri Lanka’s Kurukkalmadam was halted after three days of digging yielded nothing significant. Court ordered the excavation following complaints that 150 Muslim pilgrims slain by Tamil Tigers 35 years ago were buried in a mass grave at the site.

கொழும்பில் உள்ள பிரபலமான மும்மொழி அரச பாடசாலைகளில் இருந்து தமிழ் மொழி மூல வகுப்புக்கள் திட்டமிட்டு நீக்கப்பட்டு வருவதாக, தமிழ் முற்போக்குக் கூட்டணியின் தலைவரும் நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினருமான மனோ கணேசன் கூறுகிறார்.

Sri Lanka’s first ever site claimed as a mass grave in the eastern locality of Kurukkalmadam, Batticaloa despite no accidental discovery of human remains, was closed down by the Kaluwanchikudy magistrate due to no significant findings after digging two meters deep for three days.

Another full moon holy to Buddhists sets on April fools Day without justice for Tamils who continue with their monthly protest for the third year urging Sri Lanka government to release private land in Thaiyiddi, Jaffna seized by the military to erect an illegal temple named Tissa

Excavation work at suspected mass grave in Kurukkalmadam, Batticaloa, continue for the second day on 31st under supervision of Kalavanchikudi Magistrate Dharmalingam Pradeepan. By the end of the day, excavation pit had been dug to a depth of more than four feet, says attorney Jabir Razi Mohamed.

A 11 member team of medical and legal experts will conduct excavations at a suspected mass grave site in Sri Lanka's eastern town of Kurukkalmadam daily from 10am to 8pm. Excavations commenced on 30th March 2026 under the supervision of Kaluwanchikudi Magistrate Tharmalingam Piratheepan.

மலையகத் தமிழர்கள் குறித்து தொடர்ச்சியாக மிக மோசமான கருத்துக்களை வெளியிட்டு வரும் நாடாளுமன்ற உறுப்பினர் அர்ச்சுனா இராமநாதன் தொடர்பில் அவருக்கு வாக்களித்தவர்கள் என்ற வகையில், யாழ்ப்பாண மக்கள் ஒரு தீர்க்கமான முடிவை எடுக்க வேண்டுமென, மலையக அரசியல் அரங்கம் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளது.

கிழக்கு மாகாணத்தில் பல்வேறு முறைகள் மூலம் ஒரு இலட்சத்திற்கும் மேற்பட்ட ஏக்கர் காணியை கையகப்படுத்திய இலங்கை அரசு அதனை சிங்களக் குடியேற்றத்திற்காகவும் பல்தேசிய நிறுவனங்களுக்கு வழங்குவதற்காகவும் பயன்படுத்தி வருவதாக குடிமக்கள் சமூக ஆர்வலரான அற்புதராஜன் டனுசன் குற்றம் சாட்டியுள்ளார்.

In Sri Lanka, residents of Valathapitty, Villukulam, and surrounding areas in Ampara express growing concern, fearing that the daily presence of elephant herds could pose serious risks to homes and public safety.

Sri Lanka’s wildlife conservation officials find dead migratory flamingos in the island's north western'Mannar's Vankalai sanctuary killed by high voltage power cables carrying electricity from wind turbines built disregarding protests by local residents and environmentalists.

The Hormuz Strait is not closed to vessels of friendly countries like Sri Lanka, assures Iran. “If Sri Lanka demands oil or any other necessary goods, Iran will supply and provide these goods to Sri Lanka,” IRAN Ambassador in Sri Lanka Dr. Alireza Delkhosh

SJB MP Mujibur Rahman alleged that the Sri Lankan consumers were ripped off by the NPP government through increasing the fuel prices in the country from the midnight of 9th March 2026 amid the war in middle east.

Jaffna University Students' Union members protest the over five hour Jaffna police interrogation of three Jaffna University undergraduates for raising a black flag condemning Sri Lanka's official Independence Day - 4 February - as a day of mourning for Tamils.

Magistrate D. Pradeepan and a team inspected the Kurukkalmadam mass grave site to check for any physical changes or tampering ahead of scheduled excavations.

#SriLanka : Commissioner General of Essential Services declared every Wednesday a special public holiday for the government services (expect for some specific essential services) until further notice to address potential future fuel supply problems due to the conflicts in the Middle East.

Sivanandan Jenita, Secretary of the Association of Relatives of the Disappeared of the North and East Sri Lanka, says that during the struggle for justice, Tamil people must also be very careful and vigilant about the government's new laws.

SLMC MP Nizam Kariyapar asks opposition Muslim MPs not to attend the iftar event organized by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who refuses to condemn the illegal assassination of Iranian leaders by the US and Mossad.

Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody reveals the period for which fuel stocks will be sufficient, based on the current normal consumption levels in Sri Lanka. ⛽️Super Diesel - May 10 ⛽️95 grade petrol - May 10 ⛽️92 grade petrol - April 23 ⛽️Diesel - April 12

Despite the ability to wage armed struggle, the Tamil people have been peacefully fighting for their rights for the past 16 years, emphasizes ITAK MP Shritharan.

Tamil lawmaker from war torn Vanni Thurairasa Raviharan slams the duplicity of the ‘Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa gang’ that killed women and children by bombing Tamil areas now lamenting foreign countries killing children and infants. “Now you are performing a world class act"

84 bodies of sailors killed in the USS Charlotte torpedo attack that sunk the IRIS Dena frigate off Sri Lanka's southern coast on March 4, were taken to the Mattala airport as directed by the Galle Chief Magistrate Sameera Dodangoda, to be handed over to Iranian authorities.

Jaffna Magistrate Selvanayagam Leninkumar directs to resume excavation work on April 20 at Sri Lanka's second largest mass grave in Chemmani - halted for six months - after inspecting the site with a Judicial Medical Officer, Archeology officials and lawyers representing victims.

On #InternationalWomensDay2026, Tamil mothers return to Vattuwakkal Bridge, where their loved ones were last seen being handed over to SL army. A haunting walk for justice as the 9th year of the ongoing protest demanding justice for their forcibly disappeared loved ones continues.

Sri Lanka Navy escorted Iranian naval auxiliary ship IRIS Bushehr to the Trincomalee port days after it returned from a drill in India along with IRIS Dena sunk by US off the Sri Lankan coast. The US has reportedly pressed Sri Lanka not to repatriate survivors from IRIS Dena.

Sri Lanka President's media unit has released images of Sri Lanka Navy rescuing 32 Iranian sailors on March 5, 2026 who survived a US torpedo attack on Iranian frigate IRIS Dena on March 4, 2026. President Anura Kumara Disanayake confirmed that the Iranian request for berth came on 26.

The Speaker has appointed a 12-member panel of MPs to serve on the Parliamentary Select Committee to conduct a full study and report on the lack of preparedness to face Cyclone Ditva, and to submit necessary recommendations and proposals.

In Parliament of Sri Lanka, Tamil lawmaker Shanakiyan Rasamanickam urges to conduct investigations based on Channel 4's Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields and No Fire Zone that documents the final bloody weeks of the civil war and features damning evidence of alleged war crimes & crimes against humanity.

Responding to Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader MP Rauff Hakeem's questioning of government silence over the killing of Iranian leader, Foreign Minister H M Vijitha Herath says "I will record it in the book of condolences, on behalf of the country".

At the first death anniversary of Tamil journalist Rajanyagam Bharathi, leader of Sri Lanka Muslim Congres raises the need of a presidential commission to probe atrocities against journalists. "There have been commissions for politicians and media institutions" MP Rauff Hakeem

Sumanthiran states that those who waged armed struggle against the Sri Lanka-India agreement are in power today, and urges the Tamil people to understand this danger.

MP Nizam Kariyapar, expressed his opposition to the Sri Lankan President's failure to condemn the US-Israeli crime of assassinating a legally appointed Iranian leader in violation of international law.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on a plan to safeguard the nearly one million Sri Lankans residing in Middle East conflict zones. Addressing the potential scale of the crisis, the President warned, "If the situation reach a worst-case scenario, our current capabilities will not be sufficient."

'No to the Old, No to the New' petition signed within 10 days by more than 29,000 from Sri Lanka's north and east posted to Ministry of Justice Sri Lanka demanding to abolish the current Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and withdraw the proposed Protecting the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA).