CUHRS, CUTSA, and CUSA statement on the Chemmani Mass Graves and the Need for Justice for Tamil Victims of Genocide

We, the members of the Carleton University Human Rights Society (CUHRS), the Carleton University Tamil Students’ Association (CUTSA), and the Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) make this joint statement in response to the recent discovery of the mass graves in Chemmani – a village in Tamil Eelam, currently the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. Tamil Eelam is identified as the traditional and ancestral homeland to many Tamils in the diaspora. 

The Chemmani mass graves were first confirmed in 1998 during the trial of Lance Corporal Somaratne Rajapaksa, who was convicted for the rape and murder of 18 year old Krishanthi Kumaraswamy. Her mother, younger brother, and neighbour, who had gone searching for her, were later found dead in Chemmani alongside Krishanthi. During the trial, Rajapaksa testified that 300 to 400 Tamils had been buried at the site, prompting a partial investigation. 15 bodies were discovered in 1999 in accordance with the information provided, only to be followed with a lack of further investigation and impunity. 

The site was again brought to light in February 2025, when workers preparing a crematorium discovered human remains. As of now, 47 remains have been discovered with 44 fully exhumed. Among them, 3 have been identified as infants. The number is expected to grow as excavations continue. 

This month of July also marks the 42nd anniversary of Black July (July 23 to July 30, 1983) – a week of state-wide anti-Tamil riots that marked the military escalation of the Sri Lankan state and the genocide against the Tamil People (1983-2009). Mobs backed by state forces took to the streets to destroy Tamil homes, businesses and places of worship. It is estimated that 3000 Tamils were massacred that week, while many others were subject to physical and sexual violence. 90,000-120,000 Tamils are estimated to have been displaced during Black July, with many taking refuge or asylum internationally. 

Despite eyewitness accounts of the organized violence and calls for justice from the international community, no domestic prosecutions have been initiated to persecute those responsible for the violence of Black July. 

This recent discovery in Chemmani is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of systemic violence, state repression, and long-standing impunity. The mass graves of Chemmani, the violence of Black July, and the decades-long campaign of violence against Tamils all underscore a pattern of genocide that has yet to be properly addressed. It stands as a reminder of the lack of accountability for the atrocities and crimes committed against the Tamil people. 

We condemn the longstanding culture of impunity upheld by the Sri Lankan state and support international calls for independent, transparent, and internationally monitored investigations into wartime atrocities.

The Carleton University Human Rights Society, the Carleton University Tamil Students’ Association, and the Carleton University Students’ Association call on the administration of Carleton University to do more to support Tamils in Sri Lanka and at Carleton:

1. Firstly, we call on the university to openly acknowledge the Tamil genocide and condemn the Sri Lankan state for the atrocities it has and continues to commit against the Tamil people. 

2. Secondly, we call on the university to divest from any corporations that may have bilateral relations with the Sri Lankan state, in addition to ending any partnerships with Sri Lankan institutions complicit in oppression. 

3. Finally, we call on the university to provide dedicated resources such as scholarships and cultural programming with respect to the unique intergenerational trauma faced by Tamil students.

As representatives of the student body, CUSA stands firmly with its clubs and societies in advocating for policy change at the university which reflects the diverse backgrounds and impact this shocking rediscovery of the markers of genocide has on our students, particularly those of Tamil cultural heritage. 

Resources

On the Chemmani Mass Graves: 

• https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/features/2025/6/16/new-sri-lanka-mass-grave-discovery-reopens-old-wounds-for-tamils 

• https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/who-krishanthi-kumaraswamy

• https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/explainer-what-are-chemmani-mass-graves 

• https://media.un.org/unifeed/en/asset/d341/d3417493

Black July:

• https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/remembering-black-july-41-years 

• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/27/what-are-black-july-massacres-that-triggered-sri-lankas-26-year-civil-war

• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-23402727

• https://pearlaction.org/black-july-a-tamil-genocide/

Tamil Genocide

• https://www.ecchr.eu/en/topic/sri-lanka-topic/

• https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/global-reckoning

• https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2025/5/24/need-answers-will-sri-lankas-tamils-find-war-closure-under-dissanayake

Support Resources at Carleton and Beyond:

• The Mental Health and Wellness Hub

• Counseling Services

• International Student Services Office

• Carleton University Tamil Students Association 

• CUSA Wellness Centre

• Ottawa Newcomer Health Centre

• Ottawa Tamil Sangam

• National Council of Canadian Tamils (@ncctonline on Instagram)

• RISE, Racialized and International Student Experience

• CU Sexual Assault Support Services