Jaffna fishermen urge Tamil Nadu fishermen to investigate SL conspiracy

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 February 2011, 07:41 GMT]
There is a pattern in the attack on Tamil Nadu fishermen by SL Navy and in the destruction of fishing nets belonging to Eezham Tamils by some trawlers that seem to be coming from the Indian coast. Whenever the trawlers come very close to the coast of the country of Eezham Tamils to destroy the nets, nothing happens to them. But, on the other hand, the Tamil Nadu trawlers and even country boats are attacked by SL Navy either in mid sea or sometimes well within the Indian waters. Whether any fleet operates in the Palk Bay in the service of the SL Navy has to be thoroughly investigated by the Tamil Nadu fishermen, urged the fishermen of Jaffna, pointing out that the unfolding developments are accompanied by large scale colonisation of the coasts of Jaffna and Vanni by Sinhala fishermen.

A few days ago, when a fleet of trawlers having Indian identification came very close to the Indian Ocean coast of a particular part of the peninsula targeted for Sinhala colonisation and engaged in the destruction of the nets of the Jaffna fishermen, it was at a visible distance to the SL military that was playing games in the shore. But no action took place.

In the first week of January, for two consecutive days there was a fleet or trawlers engaged in destroying the nets of Eezham Tamils in Mannaar and Jaffna, at a visible distance from the coast. Then also the SL Navy was not in sight.

Anger mounts among the Eezham Tamil fishermen, who have to now guard their nets by constantly staying in the sea in their boats, and this anger is directed towards Tamil Nadu fishermen.

Fishermen are usually bound by community code of conduct. It must be easier for them to find out on their own who are the culprits and whether there are any conspiracies of any party of vested interests involved in wedging the emotional links of the Tamil fishing communities on either side of the Palk Bay, urged the Jaffna fishermen.

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