Police supervise SLA's checking of fishermen passes

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 2003, 15:30 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army Monday commenced checking passes of the fisher folk of Munai village in the Point Pedro division under the direct supervision of the police, fisheries sources said

The new system has been introduced following a clash that took place between fishermen and army soldiers last week regarding checking of passes possessed by fishermen of the village, fisheries sources said.

According to the new system, police personnel have been posted at the two army sentry points located in front of the St.Thomas Church from Monday to supervise the soldiers when they check passes submitted by fishermen of the village before going to sea for fishing, sources said

Meanwhile, the fishing boat, which had been reported missing from last week following the clash, has now been recovered while adrift in the sea without the outboard motor engine by some fishermen.

The missing outboard motor engine has been valued at about two hundred thousand rupees, fisheries sources said. The boat belongs to an internally displaced fisherman from Palaly who currently resides in Munai, sources said.