Braving sea of perils

[TamilNet, Sunday, 05 November 2006, 01:11 GMT]
The abundance of fish stock in Mullaitivu seas has provided a life line to fisher families from littoral villages dotting 70km Mullaitivu coast stretching from Kokkilai in the south to Iranaipalai in the north. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has occupied 13km of this coastline from Kokkilai to Nayaaru from 1985. Although fall of SLA's Mullaitivu garrison to Liberation Tigers in 1996 brought relief to fisher families, continued harassment by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and threats from the SLA camps in the southern coast of the district continue to plague fisher families who brave the seas to earn a living.

Nearly 9300 members belonging to 4685 fisher families live along the shore from Kokkilai to Iranaippalai. The people displaced from areas occupied Sri Lanka Army in 1985 also are resettled in the district, and they live without receiving any relief assistance from the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL).

Liberation Tigers and SLA troops have fought battles for control of Mullaitivu town and areas close to strategic Manal-aru area from the start of eelam wars. In August 1991 "Lightening strike" operation under Janaka Perera, LTTE lost several cadres. Fortunes changed in August 1993, when the Tigers overran Kokutuduwai and Kovil point SLA camps and obtained a large haul of weapons from Janakapura camp.

The 8 sq.km SLA coastal garrison encompassing most of Mullaitivu town was a continuous threat to the residents within SLA's artillery range until it was overrun by the Tigers in 1996. More than 1200 SLA troops lost their lives in this battle.

Before the 2002 ceasefire, Mullaitivu Fisheries Consortium officials said the SLN had killed 84 fishermen from the district while they were either fishing in the sea or in the shore. Many of the bodies were not recovered. Fishermen also have suffered losses in millions of rupees in destroyed boats and fishing gear.

After the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) in 2002, three fishermen have been killed, number of others were injured, and nearly 12.5 million rupees worth of boats and fishing gear were lost due to attacks by the Sri Lanka Navy.

A fisherman fishing in Silavattai Sea was killed and another injured when Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) attacked them around 6:00 a.m. last week.

Ariveeran Murugappan, 66, father of two, who was displaced from Udappu in Mannar district and living at Selvapuram, died and Veerapathiran Nagarasa, 49, father of six, was admitted to Mullaithivu hospital with gunshot wounds.

"I lost my leg when the Navy shot at me while fishing in the Mullaithivu Sea in 1990," said Thavarasa, the employer of the two fishermen attacked by the SLN this week and the owner of the boat and fishing accessories which were destroyed.

"I struggled to build up my business but tsunami catastrophe of 2004 took away all my belongings including my boat and other fishing equipment. But, I continued to earn my living with the help of the fishing gear donated by the Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Now SLN has again destroyed my boat and nets," added Thavarasa.

Mariyarasa is the President of the Consortium of the Mullaithivu district Fishermen Co-operative Societies, consisting of 21 fisheries organizations, and leads the effort to resolve difficulties encountered by the fishermen living in the district.

"On 23 January 2006, two fishermen who went fishing around 9:30 pm, disappeared in the sea after coming under attack by the SLN. The disappeared fishermen, Johan, a father of four children, and Ravi, a father of three children, were members of the Consortium. Our members in 40 fishing boats searched the missing for four days but could not locate them," Mariyarasa said.

"However, the boat they traveled drifted ashore after ten days without the outboard motor and with bloodstains inside the boat. The boat also bore holes of gunshots and marks of damage due to the collision with another vessel, likely with a patrol boat of SLN, who often ram their boats against fishermen's to hurt the fishermen and to damage their boats. We lodged a written complaint with the Government Agent of Mullaithivu on 24 January and with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM)," he added.

"We explained to the SLMM the plight of the fishing folks. and told them that fishermen are scared to go for fishing due to fear of the Navy, and suffer economic hardships. Although the NGOs provide us materials to improve our fishing, the Navy destroys them and threaten our fishermen," Mariyarasa said.

The SLMM officials responded that according to the Government rules, fishermen can use up to 19 feet long fishing boats for fishing and the Navy has no right destroy the fishing nets. Navy can only warn the fishermen who cross the demarcated fishing area. Taking away the fishing nets or destroying fishing equipment, are violations of fundamental human rights, the SLMM told Consortium officials, according to Mariyarasa.



The people of this area are also affected by the Sri Lanka Air Force. Bombing raids by Kfir jets of the SLAF has escalated. In a recent aerial attack aimed at the transit camp for the tsunami- affected people located near the Vadduvakal Bridge, the shells missed the target and exploded behind the camp area. There were fortunately no injuries. In Vallipunam 55 school children receiving leadership training were killed by SLAF attack in August.

Many fisher families were also seriously affected by the Tsunami. Housing facilities are still not complete and many who lost the head of households are forced to live in abject poverty, fisheries officials said.

Fishing restrictions imposed by the Sri Lanka Navy has further undermined the fisher families' ability to stay above the poverty line.

Chronology:


Related Articles:
14.08.06   61 schoolgirls killed, 129 wounded in airstrike
15.06.06   SLAF Kfir bombs target tsunami camp in Mullaithivu
11.03.06   Mullaitivu fishermen receive fishing nets, accessories
03.04.05   'Tender shoots of Mullaithivu'
18.01.05   22 Mullaitivu schools used as Welfare Centers- GA
26.12.04   More than 1000 feared killed in Mullaitivu coastal villages
11.05.04   Mullaitivu fishermen struggle without a lighthouse
19.10.97   Mullaitivu faces total blockade


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