Indian HC refuses visa to head of Northern fishermen society representatives

[TamilNet, Thursday, 19 August 2010, 06:48 GMT]
Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka refused to issue visa to the president of the Northern Fishermen Societies Federation, S. Thavaratnam who was to head the delegation of 23 representatives from Northern Sri Lanka to hold talks with their counterparts in Tamil Nadu. The former secretary of Vadamaraadchi Fishermen Society, K. Sooriyakumaran is now leading the delegation which is engaged in the talks now, sources in Jaffna said.

Thavaratnam was to head the the delegation of representatives of the fishermen societies in the districts of Jaffna, Ki'linochchi and Mannaar according to earlier announcement.

Though Thavaratnam had applied for travel visa to Tamil Nadu, Indian High Commission in Colombo had rejected his application without giving any reason.

He was appointed president of the North East Rehabilitation Council formed by Kumarn Pathmanathan alias KP, a relative of Tahavaratnam who is also a native of Maiyiliddi, KP's native village in Valikaamam.

Sooriyakumarn had returned to Jaffna after being caught in the war on Vanni.