Fishermen to share sea with fish

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 06 May 1998, 23:59 GMT]
Fishermen working near certain villages on the northern coast of Waligamam in the Jaffna peninsula, about 15 km north-west of Jaffna, are forced to stay in waist deep water for up to four hours, due to new security restrictions imposed by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) on shallow water fishing, said sources in Jaffna.

The SLA restriction on fishermen in the villages of Thiruvadinilai, Savukaadi, Puliyanathurai and Kothuthurai, forces them to be accommodated in temporary sheds built on the sea front after they are searched by the soldiers at 6:00 p.m.

Around 12:00 midnight, they are searched again before being allowed to go out and cast their nets.

Once they go out however, no one is allowed to come ashore till 6:00 a.m. in the morning.

However, the usual practice of fishermen is to wade into the water around midnight, cast their nets and return ashore around 2:00 a.m.

This new restriction compels them to remain in water that is at least waist till early morning, said sources.

The SLA restriction was devised to prevent Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of entering the area at night under guise of fishermen, said sources.