Jaffna fishermen demonstrate against military assistance to Southern fishermen

by admin
Oct 6, 2014
2nd lead

Fishermen in Jaffna held a hunger strike today, protesting against the military assistance provided to fishermen from the South who have come to the North, as well as a government ban on traditional fishing methods.

The protest, which was organised by the Valvettithurai East Fisheries Union, was addressed by NPC councillor Shivajilingam, who said “fishermen from South are using banned equipment and fishing with military monitoring in Kokkulai Nayaru regions.”

“Why do the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources not question them, but bar us?” he asked.

“They (Southern fishermen) are fishing in regions that belong to the Tamil people, in Kokkulai and Nayaru," Shivajilingham told the Tamil Guardian on Tuesday.

"Four hundred Sinhala families are staying here and fishing with military monitoring and protection. How can the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources justify this?”

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