Maathakal fishermen foil SL military attempt to sabotage silent protest

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 February 2011, 11:45 GMT]
While hundreds of fishermen from Maathakal were staging a silent protest Monday morning in front of the Indian consulate in Jaffna, Sri Lankan military intelligence brought a group of their men, numbering around 100, posing as fishermen in a march from Naga Vihara Buddhist temple through Palaali Road to the Indian Consulate and attempted to create a violent episode outside the mission, around 10:00 a.m. The representatives of the Maathakal fishermen society, grasping the sabotage attempt by the occupying Sri Lankan military intelligence, handed over the appeal to Mr. Mahalingam, the Consul-General of India, and left the site peacefully.

Sri Lankan intelligence operatives clad in civil were leading the group of men who were carrying Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa's photos in their march from Naga Vihara posing as fishermen from Kurunakar, Paasaiyoor, and Naavanthu'rai. The group attempted to break into the Indian consulate.

The silent protest by Maathakal fishermen was scheduled to take place till 9:00 a.m. However, as Mr. Mahalingam was not present at the mission, the fishermen were waiting till 10:00 a.m. to hand over their appeal to him.

As the military-intelligence led group was approaching the site, Mathakal fishermen hurriedly handed over the appeal and left the site, sources in Kantharmadam said.

The move has exposed the level of sabotage being deployed by the Sri Lankan military intelligence in using the situation created by intruding Indian fishermen into the territorial waters of Eezham Tamils.

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