Stirring hornets’ nests over Matale skeletons

Specialised fact finding mission is in progress

Matale District Parliamentarian Wasantha Aluvihare (UNP) who scoffed at the JVP allegation made against the UNP with regard to the mass grave found in Matale recently told the media that it was incorrect to make comments on the issue which was before court.

The MP said the prevailing controversy over the skeletal remains recovered from the mass grave near the Matale Hospital was yet to be settled and that diverse views had been expressed about it. “One opinion is that the skeletal remains could be those of the victims of the smallpox epidemic in 1947. Another is that the skeletons belonged to victims of floods experienced in the district in the same year. However, neither archaeologists nor medical specialists examining the skeletons have come to a conclusion. Experts in forensic medicine have also joined them. However, the chronology of the mass grave is still to be arrived at. In these circumstances the allegation made by the JVP that the skeletal remains could be those of the individuals killed during the 1988/89 insurrection is absolutely baseless,” the Parliamentarian said.

Since the chronology of the mass grave is still in question the JVP allegation that the remains could be of individuals killed during the 1988/89 insurrection is baseless All children aged between 09 months and 10 years would be vaccinated under the programme