SL invites Tamil Nadu fishermen for talks

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa has invited Rameswaram fishermen to hold talks with Lankan fishermen to find a lasting solution to their problems in the Palk Bay, according to Tamil Nadu Coastal Mechanised Boat Fishermen Association district secretary P.Sesu Raja.

"The minister gave us an appointment for 30 minutes but spoke to us for nearly 90 minutes and the discussions were extremely satisfactory," Sesu Raja said, and suggested that the Central and State governments should depute a team of fishermen and officials to Sri Lanka to find a solution to the problem. Minister Rajapaksa told the delegation that the Lankan fishermen had resumed fishing after a gap of 30 years and they faced problems from the Indian fishermen, who used the banned pair trawling, he said.

"It has been decided to have an open dialogue between both countries' fishermen with the consent of governments of India and Sri Lanka," a source familiar with the development told. Through people-to-people contact, the problems can be solved, Minister Rajapaksa told the Tamil Nadu fishermen's delegation. A delegation team member told department officials and fishermen association leaders to work out a solution.

The minister Rajapaksa, according to the sources, told them that Sri Lankan fishermen were fishing in the area and he could not interfere. He, however, told them that he would arrange for their meeting with the President and they could air their grievances to him directly.