Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Minister and leader of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) lashed out at protesting Tamil fishermen in Point Pedro and abruptly left with an armed Sri Lankan escort, as tempers flared earlier today.
Addressing fishermen who were demonstrating against Indian trawler incursions, Douglas Devananda urged them to give up their protest.
Devananda, an infamous character in Sri Lankan politics, told the crowd that he had assurances the incursions would cease and called on the fishermen to stop their protest. But the fishermen insisted on written proof of any such agreement, stating that they have previously been let down with similar pledges.
Halfway through answering a question, Devananda snapped and lashed out at one of the fishermen, who he accused of speaking over him. As he stood up and berated the fisherman, tensions erupted.
The fishermen all stood up and began raising their voices against the minister. Amidst a cacophony of chant, Devananda made a swift exit, escorted by armed Sri Lankan soldiers.
This is not the first time that Devananda has drawn the ire of Tamils. The EPDP functioned as a paramilitary group aligned with the Sri Lankan state and stands accused of a host of human rights abuses, including murder, extortion, kidnapping, international child trafficking and running child prostitution rings for Sri Lanka soldiers.
Read more, including from a leaked 2007 US embassy cable on the activities of the EPDP, here and here.
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Correction - The incident took place in Point Pedro, not Mannar.
