Mannar Magistrate T. Saravanaraj granted permission to the Chief Judicial Medical Officer in charge of the Mannar mass grave excavations, Dr. Saminda Rajapaksa to provide information to media personnel from Wednesday, September 19.
According to Dr. Rajapaksa, the decision was made following a discussion held on September 12.
“Therefore, after September 19 I will be available to furnish information regarding the grave site,” Rajapaksa said, adding that, however, no other person involved in the excavation has been permitted to speak to the media.
The media, however, can also obtain information from the Registrar of the Mannar Magistrate’s Court on other days if necessary.
Mannar Magistrate T. Saravanaraj had previously barred all personnel connected to the excavations from providing information to the media ordering that all information should be obtained from the Registrar instead. However, he reversed the decision last week after taking into consideration a request made by the Office of Missing Persons and the families of the disappeared. Former Mannar Magistrate T.J. Prabhakaran had also barred the media from visiting, video recording and photographing the site. However, the order was later lifted following the submission of a motion to the Magistrate by several journalists. Journalists will now be able to visit the site every day between 10.30 a.m. - 11.00 a.m. to video record or photograph the site.