@Saradiel.. Finally Northern and Southern politicians working together in agreement of the territorial integrity of the country.. Need to appreciate whats good even at rare occasions than always acting like pessimistic sooks
SL to Raise Trawler Issue with TN -The New Indian Express
COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has told North Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen and MPs of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that he proposes to take up the issue of the intrusion of Tamil Nadu bottom trawlers into Lankan waters with the Tamil Nadu and Indian governments, through diplomatic channels.
“We should make the Tamil Nadu and Indian governments realise what harm, Indian trawlers are doing to the sea on our side and to the livelihood of our fishermen. I propose to do this without harming our relations with India,” Sirisena told the stakeholders here on Thursday.
Rejecting charges of inaction and subservience to India, the President said: “We have not allowed fishing in our waters for the Indians. I have given clear instructions to the navy to arrest boats or trawlers that violate our territorial waters.”
Joint Patrolling
The President was receptive to the idea that the best solution would be to have the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) jointly patrolled by the Lankan and Indian navies or Coast Guards.
In a memorandum, which he presented to the President, the Northern Province Fisheries Minister, B Deniswaran, sought the deployment of the Lankan Coast Guard at the IMBL.
The memorandum described the Indian intrusions as a “clear violation” of the boundary agreement of 1974. It also sought effective steps against the smuggling of drugs from India through the North Lankan coast.
The Lankan navy representatives at the meeting pointed out that trawlers from Nagapattinam are made of steel and can take on the Lankan naval gun boats.
Empty Promises
The Lankan fishermen’s representatives drew the attention of the President to the empty promises made by Indian fishermen during talks in the last five years.
When talks between fishermen’s associations began in 2010, the Indian fishermen asked for one year’s time to give up bottom trawling. Later they asked for five years, and now they are asking for three years. But between 2010 and 2015, there has been no reduction in the number of trawlers whatsoever, it was pointed out.
Non-Trawlers
Asked if the Lankan fishermen and government will allow ‘non-trawlers’ to fish in Lankan waters in Palk Strait and Palk Bay, TNA MP Suresh Premachandran, who attended the meeting, said that while bottom trawlers have to be stopped forthwith, “the issue of other types of fishing vessels can be discussed.”
President Sirisena is to have a larger meeting on this issue in the second week of this month to discuss the Tamil Nadu fishermen’s seven-point set of proposals. The fishermen’s associations of the two countries are to meet for the fourth time in mid-May at Colombo.
33 fishermen from Nagai Arrested
Thirty-three fishermen belonging to the fishing hamlets of Nagapattinam were apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy allegedly for violating the IMBL and poaching in Lankan waters. Fishermen sources said that the fishermen along with five fishing trawlers, belonging to the Akkaraipettai fishing hamlet were taken to Kankesanthurai port in Northern Province of Sri Lanka on Friday night. Akkaraipettai fishermen said, 33 members ventured into sea for fishing in five trawlers from the Nagapattinam fishing harbour on March 30 night. When they were fishing at about 40 nautical miles south-east of the Nagapattinam coast, the Lankan navy personnel detained the five trawlers and 33 fishermen. The fishermen and trawlers were taken to Kankesanthurai. The apprehension was the first instance after the positive conclusion of the third round of bilateral talks between the Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen representatives held in Chennai on March 24.
Meanwhile.. Thieves are fussing that they're not allowed to steal..
Vasan condemns Sri Lanka’s rejection of Indian fishermen’s demand - The Hindu
He calls for the intervention of Prime Minister
Tamil Maanila Congress leader G.K. Vasan condemned the Sri Lankan’s Government’s rejection of Indian fishermen’s demand for fishing rights in the Sri Lankan waters for a specific period annually.
Speaking on the sidelines of a private function here, Mr. Vasan, referring to the failed third round of talks between the two countries, where the Tamil fishermen’s demand for fishing rights for 83 days across the Palk bay was rejected, said the Sri Lankan President Maitripala Sirisena’s rejection of the demand was condemnable. He called for the intervention of the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister in this regard.