The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday charged that at least 200 youth killed during the 1987/89 insurrection were buried in the mass grave found in Matale and urged that UPFA and UNP politicians and the military personnel responsible should be brought to book.

JVP parliamentarian Anura Kumara Dissanayake told a news conference that investigations should be started immediately to determine who was responsible.

He said there was suspicion that the delay in investigating and arresting the culprits may be because those responsible were with the government now.
Mr. Dissanayake said some of those holding prominent posts in the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government provided information which led to the killing of JVP cadres by killer squads.

He said a politician who killed a JVP member in Kesbewa was a minister in this government while another minister is known to have visited a torture chamber in Tunmulla and urinated on a youth named ‘Tanga’ just before he was executed.

“Therefore the government may be hesitant to carry out investigations on the mass grave because some of its prominent members were also involved in these killings during the insurrection. This is the case with some UNPers as well,” Mr. Dissanayake said.

He said this mass grave was discovered accidentally when trenches were being dug up to put up the foundation to build an extension for the Matale Hospital.

Mr. Dissanayake said similar mass graves could be found in Kurunegala and Galle as there several JVP members in these areas. He recalled that more than 60,000 youth were killed during the period of terror between 1987 and 1989. (Yohan Perera)