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DATE=2/18/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245667
TITLE=LANKA / FOREIGN (L ONLY)
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  SRI LANKA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SAYS IT MISINFORMED THE 
PUBLIC ABOUT THE EXHUMATION OF AN ALLEGED MASS GRAVES SITE.  
HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SAID TO HAVE DISAPPEARED IN 1996 
AFTER BEING ARRESTED BY THE ARMY IN THE NORTHERN JAFFNA 
PENINSULA.  VANDANA CHOPRA HAS THE DETAILS FROM COLOMBO.
TEXT:  SRI LANKA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID LAST WEEK A COURT 
MAGISTRATE HAD VISITED THE ALLEGED MASS GRAVES SITE AND ORDERED 
AN EXHUMATION TO BE DONE IN EARLY MARCH.
BUT ON THURSDAY, THE MINISTRY REVERSED ITSELF.  IT SAID THE 
MAGISTRATE WHO IS INVESTIGATING THE ALLEGATIONS HAD NOT VISITED 
THE GRAVES SITE AND HAD  NOT  ORDERED AN EXHUMATION.
A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON ON THURSDAY SAID LAST WEEK'S 
STATEMENT WAS A GENUINE ERROR WHICH HE BLAMED ON MISCOMMUNICATION
BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.  
REPORTS FROM A SOLDIER SENTENCED TO DEATH BY A COLOMBO COURT LAST
YEAR RE-OPENED THE CONTROVERSY OVER HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES BY 
GOVERNMENT FORCES IN JAFFNA, A FORMER REBEL STRONGHOLD. 
LAST JULY, THE SOLDIER, WHO WAS CONVICTED OF RAPING AND MURDERING
A TEENAGE TAMIL SCHOOLGIRL, SAID IN A STATEMENT HE WAS PREPARED 
TO IDENTIFY THE GRAVES OF 400 TAMIL YOUTH WHO DISAPPEARED WHEN 
GOVERNMENT FORCES TOOK CONTROL OF JAFFNA FROM TAMIL TIGER REBELS.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HAS SAID MORE
THAN 600 PEOPLE DISAPPEARED DURING A 1996 ARMY CAMPAIGN AGAINST 
THE TAMIL TIGERS.
ACCORDING TO AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, THE DISSAPPEARED MAY HAVE 
BEEN DISPOSED OF IN LAVATORY PITS, ABANDONED WELLS AND SHALLOW 
GRAVES.
THE ALLEGATION HAS CREATED A FUROR AMONG TAMIL POLITICAL PARTIES 
AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS WHO COMPLAIN LITTLE HAS 
BEEN DONE.
IN THE STATEMENT THE GOVERNMENT ISSUED LAST WEEK IT ATTRIBUTED 
THE DELAY IN EXHUMING THE ALLEGED GRAVE SITE ON THE JUDICIAL 
PROCESS. CHEMMANI, THE SITE, IS BEING PROTECTED BY THE SECURITY 
FORCES.
SINCE 1983, TAMIL REBELS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR A SEPARATE 
HOMELAND FOR THE MINORITY TAMIL COMMUNITY IN SRI LANKA'S NORTH 
AND EAST. (SIGNED)
NEB/VC/KL
18-Feb-99 8:40 AM EST (1340 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.