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'''Matale mass grave''' is the mass burial of people suspected to have been killed extrajudicially during the [[1987–89 JVP Insurrection (Sri Lanka)|second JVP uprising]] during [[counterinsurgency]] operations by the Sri Lankan Army. Sri Lankan forensic archaeologist led by [[Raj Somadeva]] who examined the site said that it was not due to epidemic or any natural causes and a parallel investigation done by a Judicial Medical Officer Ajith Jayasena said that it was not a regular burial site and both concluded that remains belonged to the period 1986-1990.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=70892 | title=Matale mass grave traced to 1987-89 | publisher=Island | date=January 21, 2013 | accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=71981 | title=JVP says Matale mass grave has remains of 200 torture victims | publisher=Island | date=February 5, 201 | accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21964586 | title=Sri Lanka Matale mass grave 'dates from late 1980s' | publisher=BBC | date=28 March 2013 | accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.jdslanka.org/index.php/2012-01-30-09-30-42/human-rights/299-leading-archaeologist-calls-for-accountability-on-matale-mass-grave | title=Leading archaeologist calls for accountability on Matale mass grave | publisher=JDS | date=30 March 2013 | accessdate=2013-04-09}}</ref><ref name="Niestat2008">{{cite book|author=Anna Niestat|title=Recurring Nightmare: State Responsibility for "disappearances" and Abductions in Sri Lanka|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hSTnNbcSIIkC&pg=PA19|accessdate=10 April 2013|year=2008|publisher=Human Rights Watch|pages=19–|id=GGKEY:UXWF05XJ0X5}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/28/sri-lanka-mass-grave-marxist | title=Sri Lanka mass grave dates to Marxist rebellion, says judge | publisher=The Guardian | date=28 March 2013 | accessdate=2013-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20726027 | title=Sri Lanka Matale 'mass grave could be a crime site' | publisher=BBC | date=14 December 2012 | accessdate=2013-04-11}}</ref>

==Background==
{{Main|1987-89 JVP Insurrection}}
[[Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna]] staged an armed uprising after the signing of the [[Indo-Sri Lankan Accord]] and the presence of the [[IPKF]] in Sri Lanka which was unpopular in Sri Lanka. This uprising was put down brutally by the government in which thousands of youths were killed. The remains of over 150 people was discovered when a new building was being built in the Matale Base Hospital. [[Matale]] was one of the areas JVP insurgency was very active. [[Gotabhaya Rajapaksa]] was the commanding officer of the Sri Lankan Army in Matale from May 1989 and left for USA in Jan 1990 by which the insurgency was crushed.<ref name="Spencer1998">{{cite book|author=Metta Spencer|title=Separatism: democracy and disintegration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dz6vDcL8Q90C&pg=PA263|accessdate=10 April 2013|year=1998|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-0-8476-8585-1|pages=263–}}</ref><ref name="LockNichter2004">{{cite book|author1=Margaret Lock|author2=Mark Nichter|title=New Horizons in Medical Anthropology: Essays in Honour of Charles Leslie|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JI05K3g6OrsC&pg=PA287|accessdate=10 April 2013|date=20 May 2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-203-39851-7|pages=287–}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2013/03/31/rajapaksa-govt-haunted-by-ghosts-from-the-past/ | title=Rajapaksa Govt Haunted By Ghosts From The Past | publisher=The Sunday Leader | accessdate=2013-04-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.srilankabrief.org/2013/04/matale-mass-grave-president-rajapaksa.html | title=Matale Mass Grave | publisher=www.srilankabrief.org | date=April 3, 2013 | accessdate=2013-04-10 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107181323/http://www.srilankabrief.org/2013/04/matale-mass-grave-president-rajapaksa.html | archive-date=November 7, 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Investigation==
Sri Lankan Government has ordered a probe by a presidential commission but it has been questioned whether the commission will achieve anything as previous commissions have achieved little and some of those who held responsible positions in Matale then are in influential positions including the then Military Coordinating Officer of Matale.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ceylontoday.lk/83-29361-news-detail-is-this-presidential-commission-on-matale-mass-grave-worth-its-salt.html | title=Is this presidential commission on Matale mass grave worth its salt? | publisher=Ceylon Today | accessdate=2013-04-10}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.yahoo.com/sri-lanka-probe-mass-grave-more-150-dead-145207026.html | title=Sri Lanka to probe mass grave with more than 150 dead | publisher=/news.yahoo.com | date=Apr 7, 2013 | accessdate=2013-04-10}}</ref>
<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=13636 | title=Gotabaya the prime suspect in Matale mass killings now begins his evidence killing operations –Orders destruction of police records | publisher=lankaenews.com | date=8 April 2013 | accessdate=2013-04-10 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130418022518/http://www.lankaenews.com/English/news.php?id=13636 | archive-date=18 April 2013 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Chemmani mass grave]]
* [[Mirusuvil mass grave]]
* [[Duraiappa stadium mass grave]]
* [[Sooriyakanda mass grave]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{JVP}}

[[Category:History of Sri Lanka (1948–present)]]
[[Category:Human rights abuses in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Mass graves in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna]]
[[Category:1987–1989 JVP insurrection]]

Matale mass grave - Revision history

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