Sirisena’s promo on harbour ‘development’ in Jaffna reveals imminent Sinhalicisation threat

The regional and global powers engaged in strategic partnerships have cornered Eezham Tamils into a political vacuum where they cannot shape the parameters of their development.

The SL State maintains that the ADB is assisting it to upgrade and improve the infrastructure and services required for the development of fisheries infrastructure facilities in the Northern Province under the “Northern Province Sustainable Fisheries Development Project”.

The project is titled as “Point Pedro Port Development Project (PPPDP) by the SL Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Economic Affairs, Livestock Development, Irrigation and Fisheries & Aquatic Resource Development.

Koddadi Fishers’ Association, which covers the locality in the eastern side of the proposed port and Munai Fishers’ Association and Chuppar-madam Fishers’ Association, including the fishing areas in the western side of the project area are actively opposing the mega port project as a Sinhalicisation project.

The native Tamil fisherfolk in Point Pedro has not been able to access it for fishing. The three associations have been demanding the fisheries jetties to be reconstructed for a long time. The SL State has thoroughly ignored their requests.

The port is currently being used by southern fishermen who operate multi-day boats and engage in detrimental trawling in the seas off Jaffna.

The occupying SL military used the harbour as a military zone during the times of the war.

Chronology: