ICRC hears Vadamaradchi fishermen's complaints

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 August 2003, 19:27 GMT]
Vadamaradchi fishermen Thursday complained to a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross that their fishing crafts are getting damaged as the Sri Lanka Army has allocated inadequate space to beach their crafts in the northern shore, fisheries sources said.

The ICRC representative who arrived in Jaffna Thursday held discussions with officials of fisheries co-operative societies. He told the Vadamaradchi fisheries officials that he had come to Jaffna on the special instruction of the ICRC’s Geneva head office to assess the ground situation, sources said.

The Vadamaradchi fisheries representatives brought to the notice of the ICRC representative that they were finding it difficult to lodge their complaints with the ICRC as it had closed down its Point Pedro office.

No action was taken in regard to complaints made against acts of intimidation by SLA against fishermen, the ICRC representative was told.

Meanwhile, the head of the 524 Brigade of the SLA has invited the representatives of the Vadamaradchi North Fisheries Co-operative Society for a meeting on Sunday at the brigade’s Point Pedro headquarters, civil sources said.

Related Articles:
03.08.03   SLA agrees to ease conditions on Vadamarachchi fishermen
31.07.03   SLA,Vadamarachchi fishermen to meet with SLMM help
29.07.03   Sea Monitors meet with Jaffna fisheries representatives
23.07.03   Vadamaradchi fishermen complain of SLA harassment
20.07.03   SLN lays condition for beaching crafts in Jaffna
16.07.03   SLN search damages fishing boats, SLA constructs new camp