Mullaitivu fishermen struggle without a lighthouse

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 11 May 2004, 11:05 GMT]
Selvam Adaikalanathan, Tamil National Alliance MP for Vanni, has written a letter to Sri Lanka's President Ms.Kumaratunge, explaining the plight of Mullaitivu fishermen and the urgent need for a lighthouse to facilitate fishermen returning to shore during times of bad weather and bad visibility, said sources.

More than 17,600 members of 4500 fisher families depend on fishing for their livelihood along the shores of Mullaitivu. With increasing resettlement of displaced villagers more families are returning to fishing in the district.

Year 2001 statistics reveals that nearly 1.6m kilo fish was harvested by Mullaitivu fishermen. 109 fiberglass boats and hundreds of Katamarans are used by the fishermen.

Frequently when weather changes and visibility decreases when the men take their boats to deep waters, they are forced to spend the long hours at sea, the MP said. A lighthouse will help enormously to reduce risk to fishermen lives, the MP added in his letter.