The Government of Sri Lanka has announced that United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, will be facilitated to visit the Chemmani mass grave site in Jaffna during his official four-day visit to the island, scheduled from June 23 to 26.
The Chemmani site, which drew international attention due to its links to past conflicts, is believed to contain the remains of victims from Sri Lanka’s turbulent history. The first phase of the excavation concluded on June 7, with the discovery of at least 19 human skeletons.
Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed that Türk would be granted full and unrestricted access to the excavation site. The minister emphasized that this move is a demonstration of the government’s sincerity in addressing historical human rights concerns and its ongoing commitment to national reconciliation.
This marks the first visit to Sri Lanka by a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in nine years. The last visit by a UN human rights chief occurred in February 2016.
During his stay, Türk is expected to meet with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. He will also hold discussions with Foreign Affairs Minister Herath and engage with other cabinet ministers and Members of Parliament from across the political spectrum.
A scheduled meeting with Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, will provide an opportunity to discuss the progress of investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.
Türk will also travel to Jaffna and Trincomalee, where he will meet with the Governors of the Northern and Eastern Provinces. In Kandy, he will pay respects at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and meet with the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwatta and Asgiri Chapters.
As part of his efforts to engage with the broader Sri Lankan society, the High Commissioner will host a public discussion in Colombo with civil society representatives and members of the public. He is also expected to address the media prior to his departure.
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the visit will focus on “further advancing the promotion and protection of human rights and reconciliation,” in line with Sri Lanka’s ongoing cooperative engagement with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
