Trinco fishermen protest against SLN ban
[TamilNet, Monday, 27 March 2006, 19:36 GMT]
Hundreds of men, women who are members of four fisheries co-operatives societies with their children held a two-hour protest in front of the Trincomalee office of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Monday morning demanding that they should be allowed to fish in Trincomalee Harbor Sea, or given relief to enable them to live without the income from fishing, sources said.
 Children with placards.
Sri Lanka Navy has imposed a complete ban on fishing in Trincomalee Harbor Sea from the beginning of this year. Since then about two hundred fisher families living around the area have lost their daily income and fighting for their survival. "We have informed about our plight to the security establishment and political leaders. But up to now fishing ban is not lifted or relaxed nor are we provided with any relief," said Mr.R.Pakkiarasa, Secretary of the Arasady St.Jospeh's Fishermen Co-operative Society in a memorandum handed over to Mr.Ove Jansen, Head of the SLMM in Trincomalee at the end of the protest campaign, sources said. On March 25 a group of SLN soldiers had severely assaulted some members of the fishermen when they were fishing from the shore and they were not allowed to remove their fishing nets from the sea by the SLN soldiers, the memorandum stated. Mr.Ove Jansen held discussion with the representatives of the four fisheries co-operative societies at his office. Later Mr.Ove Jansen came out of his office and addressed the protestors. He said he would meet the SLN officers shortly and would convey their response to them in the evening. Thereafter demonstrators dispersed from the site, sources said.
 protesting woman with baby in her hand see the Trincomalee harbor sea from the premises of Trincomalee SLMM office.
 Trincomalee harbor sea - women from the premises of SLMM office.
 SLMM Trincomalee new head Mr.Ove Jansen.
 Mr.Ove Jansen reading the memorandum handed over to him by fisheries representatives.
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