|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Thursday, 28 October 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Security | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Navy alert as Indian fishermen plan channel crossing by Ranil Wijayapala The Navy has stepped up its patrols in the sea off Mannar and is on a state of high alert in the face of a planned crossing into Sri Lankan territorial waters today of a flotilla of boats carrying one thousand Indian fishermen from Rameswaran to protest against the repeated arrest of Indian Fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy. Navy Spokesman Commodore Jayantha Perera told the Daily News yesterday that the Sri Lanka High Commission in India has informed the Sri Lanka Navy about such a protest and the Navy has taken steps to increase patrolling in the sea off Mannar. Fishermen of the Tamil Nadu-Pondicherry Fishermen's Federation has decided to lodge its protest by crossing the Indian waters in a thousand boats on 28 October and proceed towards Sri Lanka seeking 'voluntary refugee' status, as a protest against the repeated harassment at the hands of the Sri Lanka Navy. However, Navy sources said the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard will stop Indian fishermen crossing into Sri Lankan territorial waters. The problem of Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters is there for a long time and Indian Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash during his recent visit to Sri Lanka maintained the problem could be solved through goodwill between the two countries. Sri Lankan fishermen also recently protested against Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters after assaulting and taking their boats into their custody. Tamil Nadu-Pondicherry Fishermen's Federation in a memorandum submitted to the Sri Lankan President through the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commissioner in India on Saturday, said the Sri Lankan Government should ensure that Indian fishermen continue fishing peacefully as per the Indo-Sri Lanka agreement. They have told the Sri Lankan High Commission officials in India, according to reports, if this cannot be ensured, the fishermen will be forced to navigate over to Sri Lankan territory with ``white flags hoisted on their boats with the sole intention of surrendering and seeking their survival there. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
