Northern fishermen give Prez two-week ultimatum

While handing over a petition to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Northern Fishermen’s Associations yesterday (26) gave a two-week ultimatum to the President to resolve their issues with regard to the decision taken to permit small vessels of Indian Fishermen to fish in the Northern seas, failing which, the fishermen threatened to hold a massive protest in the Northern Province with the participation 2,000 fishermen from all four districts, namely Jaffna, Mannar, Mullaitivu, and Kilinochchi.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Secretary to the Fisheries Union of Kayts Annalingam Annarasa said: “We vehemently condemn the decision to permit Indian Fishermen to fish in the Northern seas subject to a tax payment. There would be a discussion held on 3 March between both Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen during the Katchatheevu festival. This has no connection to the northern fishermen. We will not accept any decision taken at this meeting as we are not a party in this. We are sending a petition to President Ranil Wickremesinghe today (27) requesting a discussion to explain our grievances as we think it had not properly reached him. We will wait for two weeks for a reply from him failing which we would protest in our province against all these decisions involving Indian Fishermen.”

Accordingly, the petition had been signed by 18 representatives of the fishermen’s associations in the Northern Province. The petition stated: “For the past several years, the northern fishing community has been conducting various protests against the Indian fishermen who are illegally fishing in the Sri Lankan territorial sea. Last week in Parliament, the Minister of Foreign Affairs had expressed his opinion regarding granting permission to Indian fishermen to fish in Lankan waters. This has caused concern to the northern fishermen, as Indian trawlers have affected our marine resources and livelihoods. Therefore, we are in a position to meet and discuss with you (reference to President) in person regarding the permission granted to Indian fishermen in our waters.”

Meanwhile, responding to a recent report regarding a proposal to issue fishing permits for small Tamil Nadu vessels, Northern fishermen’s associations last week condemned the move, and alleged that it is a manipulative strategy of Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda to expand his sea cucumber project and provide the revenue to China. 

All Ceylon Federation of Trade Unions General Secretary and former Northern Province Fishermen’s Network President N.V. Subramaniam claimed: “Indian State Fisheries’ Minister Dr. L. Murugan visited Sri Lanka. Without communicating with us, Government representatives have spoken to him and given the green light to his claims. Owners of the Indian trawlers have been creating an issue back in their country. They think that we will not raise any concerns if small vessels are allowed to fish. Comparatively, the Tamil Nadu fishermen fish 10 times more than us. Devananda has always told us that he would allow them to fish in our seas, and impose a tax from which he would provide us with development facilities.