Fishermen to protest in North

Fishermen in the north are due to hold two separate protests today and tomorrow against poaching by Indian fishermen in Lankan territorial waters and the inaction to stop their entry.

One of the protests will be held today in the Madagal sea area where fishermen in the area will take up in the protest while the second protest is to be staged fishermen from Mannar opposite the Consulate General of India tomorrow.

Fishermen have express concern that no action has been taken so far to prevent the entry of the Indian fishermen and that Indian fishermen in turn have been putting pressure on the Sri Lankan government to refrain from taking action against intruding fishermen.

They said that Indian fishermen crossing the border into Sri Lankan waters were arrested and placed under detention and the fishermen were released on bail with conditions.

However after the courts took strong action by imposing jail terms the Indian fishermen staged a protest in Tamil Nadu and also boycotted the Kachchativu St Anthony’s shrine festival over the last weekend.

The Indian fishermen called off a strike and returned to fishing activities this week.

Three  boatmen have been sentenced to 6 months in prison so far this year and 5 Indian fishermen have been sentenced to one year in prison each for two fishermen who crossed the border again this year after being arrested while crossing the border and released on conditional bail. All the five sentenced to prison have now been shifted to Welikada prison.

Meanwhile Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda has discussed the issue of poaching  as well as the arrest of Indian fishermen with the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Santosh Jha.

Meanwhile  there has been a delay in bringing more than 38 boats of Sri Lankan fishermen to Sri Lanka as they have not received the approval of the District Collectors in Tamil Nadu.

By N. Lohathayalan