Matale mass grave: JVP to appeal to higher court

 

With the Matale Magistrate observing that the Matale mass grave case could not be pursued further as a criminal case, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday said it would appeal against it in a higher court.

The JVP pursued legal action on the incident where human skeletal remains were found within the premises of the Matale hospital.

The JVP believed the remains were those of its members killed during the 1988/89 insurrection. The magistrate’s observation that a criminal case could not be pursued was based on forensic analysis done in the US for radiocarbon dating, which confirmed that the skeletal remains dated back 50 years.

A report was obtained from Beta Analytics of Miami, Florida in the USA, for radiocarbon dating of the skeletal remains. However JVP stalwart Sunil Watagala told that his party would seek further legal action by appealing against the case in a higher court. Several human skeletons were unearthed on November 26, 2012, during excavations within the Matale General Hospital premises. Up to February 12, 2013, about 155 human skeletons had been unearthed.