Fishing ban lifted in Mannar, victims receive compensation

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 June 2006, 16:15 GMT]
The ban imposed on fishing in Mannar Sea by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) will be lifted from Sunday, except for Pesalai and Pallimunai, Sri Lanka Government sources from Mannar said. The decision was taken at a discussion held Saturday evening in Sunny Village SLN camp where three Sri Lanka Government Ministers, Mannar officials and commanders of security forces participated, sources said.

Sri Lanka Ministers Mr.Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Mr.Felix Perera and Mr.Rischard Badiudeen, along with Mannar Government Mr.V.Visuvalingam, Mannar Divisional Secretary Ms. Stanley de Mel, representatives of fisheries societies, and Commanders of the Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Army in Mannar district attended the discussion, sources said.

The decision on Pallimunai and Pesalai Seas will be taken at a conference to be held in Mannar District Secretariat Sunday morning, fisheries societies sources said.

Representatives of fishing societies and civil authorities in Mannar brought to the notice of the government ministers that the ban on fishing has driven the fisher folk in Mannar district to below poverty level and that many are suicidal, sources said.

Compensation of fifty thousand rupees were paid each to the next of kin of three civilians out of five killed by SLN soldiers on June 17 after a fire fight between the SLN and LTTE in Mannar sea by ministers who participated at the discussion.

The next of kin of the four persons- husband, wife and their two children- hacked to death by SLA soldiers earlier at Thomaspuri in Vankalaipadu would be paid fifty thousand rupees each on Monday at an event held in Mannar district secretariat, ministry sources said at the discussion.