Fish vendors complain harassment at Muhamalai SLA checkpoint

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 July 2005, 15:49 GMT]
Vendors engaged in the sale of fish in Jaffna district have complained to civil authorities that they are harassed by soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army at Muhamalai checkpoint when bringing fish from Vadamaradchchi east division. They are asked to wait several hours at the Muhamalai checkpoint before entering the government-controlled areas in Jaffna district, civil sources said.

Vendors said SLA soldiers cut open big fish to check to ensure explosives are not taken to government controlled areas from LTTE held Vadamaradchchi east. Due to this they are unable to preserve the fish they take to Jaffna town for a longer period, civil sources said.

Soldiers in Muhamalai checkpoint say that they receive information that explosives are taken to Jaffna town concealing in big fish, according to vendors.