Gurunagar fishermen to hold hunger strike

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 July 2005, 16:42 GMT]
Fisheries organizations in Gurunagar, a suburb in Jaffna town Saturday decided to hold a token hunger strike on Monday demanding the immediate removal of live electric fence and sentries of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) from the coastal areas and the removal of the pass system to allow freedom of movement to fishermen of the area to fish in Jaffna lagoon without any restriction, sources said.

Representatives of fisheries organizations Saturday met and took this decision following the death of a fishermen Saturday early morning when he got entangled in the live electric fence on his return to the shore with the night catch from Jaffna lagoon, sources said.

These organizations have also decided to refrain from fishing on Monday in support of the hunger strike, sources said.

Meanwhile fisheries representatives Saturday afternoon met with Navy officials stationed in Gurunagar demanded that the authorities pay compensation to the family of the deceased fisherman, sources said.