SLN to use confiscated Tamil Nadu boats

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 February 2009, 04:12 GMT]
Sri Lanka government directed Jaffna Government Agent (GA) to have the boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen confiscated on Sri Lankan waters handed over to Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) for its use. More than one hundred boats confiscated from Tamil Nadu fishermen had been earlier handed over to SLN through Sri Lanka Fisheries Department, sources in Jaffna said.

Recently, Tamil Nadu fishermen caught for allegedly smuggling goods including beedi were arrested on Kaangkeasanthu’rai seas and their boats confiscated.

Though the arrested fishermen were released later their boats remained in the custody of Mallaakam court.

Now the government has instructed Jaffna GA to have the above boats handed over to SLN.

Similar confiscated boats, kept at the SLN bases in Kaangkeasanthu’rai and Kaaraitheevu, are in a state of disrepair. These boats have also been handed over to SLN through the Fisheries Department.

Attempts by the owners of the boats in Tamil Nadu to reclaim the boats have not been successful, according to spokesperson for the affected fishermen.