2ND LEAD (Adds details)
SLA lifts fishing ban in Vadamaradchy
[TamilNet, Thursday, 23 March 2006, 11:06 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna told the Vadamaradchy North Fisheries Society representatives Thursday that SLA is lifting the three month old fishing ban along Valvettiturai Aathikovilady, Thondamanaaru and Kerudavil area coasts from 9 a.m. Thursday at a meeting held at Thondamanaaru Rural Development Centre Thursday morning, sources in Jaffna said.
However, SLA officers said that fishing boats should fly white flags in daytime and have two lamps in each boat during nights. Boats not following these procedures can come under attack by Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) vessels, the SLA had warned. More than a thousand fishing families from northern shores east of KKS area can resume fishing, relieved of obtaining passes from SLA, said fisheries society members. Two weeks earlier, though a simillar announcement was made at Valvettithurai Chithambara College, the fishing ban continued to remain in force, they said. Meanwhile, fishermen from Vadamaradchy East, Manatkadu boycotted fishing Thursday protesting the the arrest of their collegue by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA). The fishermen was taken Wednesday to the SLA Camp for investigation following the firefight and has not been released. Kudathanai fishermen supported their protest joining the fishing boycott. SLA irked by fishermen's boycott announced a fishing ban in Manatkadu, Kudathanai areas until further notice, Manatkadu Fisheries Consortium spokesperson with 267 member families said.
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