SL Navy boards, searches fishing vessel

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 30 June 2004, 19:28 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Navy boarded and searched a fishing vessel off the LTTE controlled coast in southeastern Jaffna in the early hours of the morning Wednesday, fishermen in Sembianpattu said.

This is the first intance since Colombo and the Tigers signed a cease fire agreement two years ago that the SLN has boarded and searched a fishing craft in mid sea off a coast controlled by the Liberation Tigers, the fishermen said.

Mr. Thambirajah Jerome set out to sea from the LTTE controlled coast of Sembiyanpattu on Tuesday evening.

The SLN boarded and searched his vessel at mid sea around 4 a.m. on Wednesday morning, despite the kerosine lamp a this boat's helm indicating that he was fisherman, Mr. Jerome said.

Fishermen in Sembiyanpattu expressed fear that Jerome's case might lead to further problems in the sea that may harm the cease fire agreement.