Fishing ban in Vadamaradchy to allow SLN convoy movement

[TamilNet, Friday, 14 July 2006, 16:24 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) banned fishing in the seaboard of Vadamaradchy from Wednesday to Thursday to facilitate shipping of arms and supplies by sea from Trincomalee to Kankesanthurai, Vadamaradchy fisheries Union officials said. The ban over the two full days enforced by SLN naval guards patrolling the seashores has severely affected the livelihood of fishermen in the area, fishermen said.

SLN usually prevents fishermen from going out to sea during movement of naval convoys. Dvora boats that lead and provide security to the SLN convoys have been known to attack fishermen fishing inadvertently close to the path of naval convoys. In the past, many have been beaten and chased away.

The SLN ordered the fishermen not to fish within 500 meters of the convoy of SLN vessels.

Wednesday's SLN convoy was observed to be particularly large.

The convoy had on board unusually large supplies of military hardware and other essentials. Consequently for more than 48 hours fishermen in the government controlled area of Vadamaradchy East from Thondamannaru to Nagarkoil were prevented from going to work.

Fearing SLN attacks the entire fisher folk in the LTTE controlled area of Vadamaradchy had also not gone out to fish.

Naval vessels carrying armaments were in the area the whole of Wednesday and Thursday the fishermen said.