Sri Lankan Navy arrest four Tamil fishermen in Mullaitivu for ‘illegal fishing operations’

by Velraj
May 23, 2021

The Sri Lankan Navy arrested four Tamil fishermen from Pulmoddai, Trincomalee on Thursday, for allegedly being involved in illegal fishing activities in Mullaitivu.

During a surveillance operation carried out by the Sri Lankan Navy across the Nayaru area in Mullaitivu, two boats were seized and four fishermen arrested for “illegal fishing operations”.

The fisherman aged 20, 23, 28 and 29 respectively, were detained and their two boats were taken to the Nayaru Naval Base. The Mullaitivu Department of Fisheries are taking legal action against the detained fisherman.  

Last Sunday, The Sri Lanka Police Special Task Force officially launched the “Special Waterborne Operation Squad” to supposedly combat illegal activities across the island’s water and reservoirs. However, locals fear that this move, which will extend militarisation across the North-East, seriously impacts and poses many issues to the livelihoods to fisherman across the Tamil homeland and increase harassment, fear and intimidation of locals.

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