Asian Human Rights Commission raises doubts on investigations into Sri Lanka's mass grave

May 21, Colombo: The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), a regional non-governmental organization that monitors human rights in Asia, says that serious doubts have emerged regarding the future investigations into the mass grave at Matale in Sri Lanka.

Investigations are underway on the Matale mass grave where the skeletal remains of 154 persons have been found.

AHRC says that today's press has reported that the Judicial Medical Officer in charge of the investigation has been transferred and it is also reported that the magistrate conducting the inquiries is also to be transferred.

AHRC points out that these transfers are happening at the same moment when a greater momentum of interest is being expressed regarding the mass grave.

Several families of people missing in the area have come forward to the court claiming that the remains may include those of their family members and 13 separate families have already listed their names in the court, the AHRC pointed out.

According to the Marxist party, JVP, who believes that these remains are of their former associates, there are more persons who have met with their lawyers with a view to presenting their claims to the court, the AHRC said.

"The key issue in the investigations now is to have the remains tested by DNA experts and thereafter to compare the samples from the remains with the DNA samples of the family members who have come forward. The identification of the persons whose remains lie in this grave is the first step to be taken if this inquiry is going to lead to any judicial process."

The Criminal Investigation Department of Sri Lanka police under the magistrate's orders has commenced recording statements form the families of the missing persons in the area.

AHRC further says that the United Nations High Commissioner's Office has an obligation to intervene in this inquiry and to ensure that a proper inquiry is conducted and the credibility of the judicial process is maintained.

(2013-05-22/colombopage)