Fisheries jetty work resumes amid SLA opposition

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 21 September 2004, 17:10 GMT]
Fisheries co-operative society of Kerudavil village in Vadamaradchchi north coastal area has commenced deepening the fisheries jetty amid opposition by the Sri Lankan Army (SLA), fisheries society sources said. The Jetty had been abandoned due to war for about eight years.

Talks held between the Kerudavil fisheries society and the SLA failed due to difference of opinion between the parties concerned.

In the meantime, Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded North East Community Restoration Development project allocated funds through the Jaffna district secretariat to deepen the fisheries jetty.

SLA soldiers located along the coast of Kerudavil village Monday made an attempt to prevent fisheries society from commencing the deepening project citing reason that it has not obtained prior permission from the SLA high command in Jaffna. But fishermen gathered in large number at the site thwarted the attempt by the SLA soldiers to stop the deepening project, sources said.