<p>An investigation into the alleged presence of an unidentified group near a mass grave where some 154 skeletons were recovered in Sri Lanka's central province has been ordered.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Police chief N K Ilangakoon had asked the Superintendent in the central town of Matale to investigate the complaint lodged by the opposition JVP over the alleged presence of a group clad in military uniform on Tuesday night near the mass grave, police spokesman Buddika Siriwardena said today.<br /><br />In a letter to Ilangakoon, JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe noted that the JVP Matale District organiser had informed him that a group of 10 individuals in military uniforms had arrived at the mass grave, which dates back to late 1980s.<br /><br />The Marxist JVP, or People's Liberation Front, suspected a foul play as interested parties may have wanted to tamper with the magisterial inquiry.<br /><br />Last week, President Mahinda Rajapaksa named a committee to investigate the mass grave.<br /><br />Presidential sources said three retired judges are to be the part of the presidential probe panel.<br /><br />Some 154 skeletal remains surfaced in November last year while digging was going on to construct a new building at a hospital in Matale. The skeletons were found buried in neat rows, five or six stacked on top of one another.<br /><br />Two reports filed in the court following tests done at the grave by archaeologists and judicial medical officers, Matale magistrate's court was told that the grave dates back to 1986-1990.<br /><br />The JVP believed that the victims were their members who had launched a rebellion in the said period. It had said their members who were tortured and extra-judicially executed had been buried at the site.<br /><br />The JVP has also accused the government of trying to cover up the human rights abuses by the then United National Party (UNP) government, who is now the main opposition.<br />The government charged that the JVP which led the rebellion was responsible for murdering both their and UNP members.<br /><br />Some of the UNP members who are responsible for the mass grave are currently members of the Rajapaksa government, the JVP claimed.</p>
<p>An investigation into the alleged presence of an unidentified group near a mass grave where some 154 skeletons were recovered in Sri Lanka's central province has been ordered.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Police chief N K Ilangakoon had asked the Superintendent in the central town of Matale to investigate the complaint lodged by the opposition JVP over the alleged presence of a group clad in military uniform on Tuesday night near the mass grave, police spokesman Buddika Siriwardena said today.<br /><br />In a letter to Ilangakoon, JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe noted that the JVP Matale District organiser had informed him that a group of 10 individuals in military uniforms had arrived at the mass grave, which dates back to late 1980s.<br /><br />The Marxist JVP, or People's Liberation Front, suspected a foul play as interested parties may have wanted to tamper with the magisterial inquiry.<br /><br />Last week, President Mahinda Rajapaksa named a committee to investigate the mass grave.<br /><br />Presidential sources said three retired judges are to be the part of the presidential probe panel.<br /><br />Some 154 skeletal remains surfaced in November last year while digging was going on to construct a new building at a hospital in Matale. The skeletons were found buried in neat rows, five or six stacked on top of one another.<br /><br />Two reports filed in the court following tests done at the grave by archaeologists and judicial medical officers, Matale magistrate's court was told that the grave dates back to 1986-1990.<br /><br />The JVP believed that the victims were their members who had launched a rebellion in the said period. It had said their members who were tortured and extra-judicially executed had been buried at the site.<br /><br />The JVP has also accused the government of trying to cover up the human rights abuses by the then United National Party (UNP) government, who is now the main opposition.<br />The government charged that the JVP which led the rebellion was responsible for murdering both their and UNP members.<br /><br />Some of the UNP members who are responsible for the mass grave are currently members of the Rajapaksa government, the JVP claimed.</p>