The Semmani Siddha torture and massacre are an unforgettable episode in that
#copied Approximately 600 civilians have been killed and buried in the Chemmani mass graves. When asked if he had anything to say before being sentenced to death in connection with the murder of Krishanthi Kumaraswamy, army officer Somaratne Rajapakse made a statement that exposed the Chemmani massacre. He testified that around 400 to 600 young men and women were killed and buried in the Chemmani area. In his testimony, he also identified 20 army officers including Jayawardena, Thudugala, Udaya Maara, Lalith Hovage, Abdul Nassar Hameed, and Samarasinghe as masterminds behind the killings. Mr. Selvaratnam, who worked at the Jaffna Department of Education, and two youths from Ariyalai — Parthipan and Sudhakaran, as well as several young couples and others, were described as victims of the atrocities. He also stated that he could identify 10 mass grave locations in Chemmani and nearby areas. Another convict, A.M. Perera, reportedly claimed he could identify five more sites. It was said ...