On Saturday Sri Lanka’s military said it had foiled a Tamil Tiger attack on the Colombo port and that three Sea Tiger boats had been destroyed. The navy said nine people had been arrested in connection with the attack.
However, the All Ceylon Fisheries Union (ACFU) Tuesday contradicted the military and said the Navy had fired on fishing boats and arrested fishermen.
On Saturday the Defence Minsitry said naval craft blew up one boat Saturday after the three were spotted near a restricted zone, before chasing and sinking the other two.
"The navy successfully foiled the (LTTE) attempt," the ministry said.
Six people, including three who jumped out of one of the suspected LTTE craft, were arrested, military officials were quoted as saying.
A foreign container vessel, Pelaponesian Pride, flying under a Panamanian flag, was damaged by the explosion of the second rebel boat hit by the navy, Navy Rear Admiral B.A.G.G. Peiris told reporters, adding: "a container burst open and came off its original position as a result of the shockwaves."
However the All Ceylon Fisheries Union (ACFU) contradicted the defence ministry’s version of events, saying naval craft fired on Sinhala fishing craft and arrested innocent fishermen.
President of the Gampaha branch of the ACFU, Aruna Roshantha, spoke to the BBC Sinhala service Tuesday.
Fishermen had witnessed fishing boats being attacked by the Navy, he said.
"The boats caught up fire and blew up. Nine crew members from the blown up boats were detained. Three are still in custody", he said.
Twenty one fishermen are among those arrested in connection with the alleged attack on the Colombo Port, he said.
"Our boats were fishing about 20 miles from Colombo in the deep sea when the Navy Dvora gunships sorrounded them", Roshantha said.
Rresidents of the fishing hamlet north of Colombo say their community has been dangerously stigmatised after the Sri Lanka navy’s destruction of fishing boats and arrests
Munnakkarai is a mixed ethnicity fishing community of around 5000 people, located 1 km southwest of Negombo.
The nine fishermen, one of them a Tamil, arrested by the navy were handed over to naval intelligence, Munnakkarai residents said.
SLN interrogators alleged that the fishermen had collaborated with the Sea Tigers in carrying out attacks on a number of SLN vessels in the early hours.
local Sinhala media was alleged that fishermen from Munnakkarai had received one million rupees from the Tigers to ‘harbour and guide’ their attack craft towards Sri Lankan naval vessels guarding the Colombo Harbour.
After the arrests, when the fishermen society approached ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) local leaders who had a support base among the fishing community, six fishermen were released.
But intelligence officials subsequently arrested another six people from Munnakkarai, including another Tamil fisherman.
Meanwhile the Sunday Times said that the alleged attack came just half an hour before the Navy, with the support of elements of the Army and Police, were to carry out a rehearsal of the Colombo Harbour Action Plan.
Police stations and port authorities were among those informed that the rehearsal was scheduled to begin at 6 am, the paper said.
The LTTE has not commented on the incident.
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However, the All Ceylon Fisheries Union (ACFU) Tuesday contradicted the military and said the Navy had fired on fishing boats and arrested fishermen.
On Saturday the Defence Minsitry said naval craft blew up one boat Saturday after the three were spotted near a restricted zone, before chasing and sinking the other two.
"The navy successfully foiled the (LTTE) attempt," the ministry said.
Six people, including three who jumped out of one of the suspected LTTE craft, were arrested, military officials were quoted as saying.
A foreign container vessel, Pelaponesian Pride, flying under a Panamanian flag, was damaged by the explosion of the second rebel boat hit by the navy, Navy Rear Admiral B.A.G.G. Peiris told reporters, adding: "a container burst open and came off its original position as a result of the shockwaves."
However the All Ceylon Fisheries Union (ACFU) contradicted the defence ministry’s version of events, saying naval craft fired on Sinhala fishing craft and arrested innocent fishermen.
President of the Gampaha branch of the ACFU, Aruna Roshantha, spoke to the BBC Sinhala service Tuesday.
Fishermen had witnessed fishing boats being attacked by the Navy, he said.
"The boats caught up fire and blew up. Nine crew members from the blown up boats were detained. Three are still in custody", he said.
Twenty one fishermen are among those arrested in connection with the alleged attack on the Colombo Port, he said.
"Our boats were fishing about 20 miles from Colombo in the deep sea when the Navy Dvora gunships sorrounded them", Roshantha said.
Rresidents of the fishing hamlet north of Colombo say their community has been dangerously stigmatised after the Sri Lanka navy’s destruction of fishing boats and arrests
Munnakkarai is a mixed ethnicity fishing community of around 5000 people, located 1 km southwest of Negombo.
The nine fishermen, one of them a Tamil, arrested by the navy were handed over to naval intelligence, Munnakkarai residents said.
SLN interrogators alleged that the fishermen had collaborated with the Sea Tigers in carrying out attacks on a number of SLN vessels in the early hours.
local Sinhala media was alleged that fishermen from Munnakkarai had received one million rupees from the Tigers to ‘harbour and guide’ their attack craft towards Sri Lankan naval vessels guarding the Colombo Harbour.
After the arrests, when the fishermen society approached ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) local leaders who had a support base among the fishing community, six fishermen were released.
But intelligence officials subsequently arrested another six people from Munnakkarai, including another Tamil fisherman.
Meanwhile the Sunday Times said that the alleged attack came just half an hour before the Navy, with the support of elements of the Army and Police, were to carry out a rehearsal of the Colombo Harbour Action Plan.
Police stations and port authorities were among those informed that the rehearsal was scheduled to begin at 6 am, the paper said.
The LTTE has not commented on the incident.
