Sri Lanka: Bone samples from Mannar mass grave dates back to 15th & 18th century

In Sri Lanka, the bone samples from a mass grave found in Mannar district, has been dated back to period between fifteenth and eighteenth century thus ruling out its relation with LTTE war.

The samples were sent to US laboratory in Florida and its results were submitted to local court on Thursday. The results indicated that the samples were from the year 1499-1719.

At least 325 human skeletons including 29 of children have been recovered from an excavation site in the northern district, which was affected by three-decades long ethnic war.

The excavations have been going on for around a year now. Speculations were rife earlier that the grave may be linked to war-time killings but the results of carbon dating have proved it otherwise.

The chief investigator had earlier claimed they consider it a scene of crime until proven otherwise. He had said the bodies were “dumped”, instead of being “laid to rest” beside each other, as would be the case in a cemetery.

Earlier, few mass graves were found in Tamil dominated north and east provinces, mainly of war killings.