SL Navy backs Indian poachers clashing with fishermen in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 31 October 2011, 15:53 GMT]
Sri Lanka Navy Monday night engaged in giving protection to Indian trawlers that were destroying the fishing nets of local fishermen, according to S. Thavaratnam, the president of fisheries societies in Jaffna. The SLN has detained 33 fishermen from Munai in Point Pedro with their 12 boats alleging them for attacking the Indian fishermen, Mr. Thavaratnam told reporters. In the meantime, sources in Kaarai Nakar and in Point Pedro said Indian trawlers came close to the shores of Jaffna peninsula at many locations destroying the fishing nets put up by the local fishermen.

The SLN gunboats were giving protection to Indian trawlers engaging in poaching destroying the fishing nets of local fishermen.

The native fishermen whose nets were destroyed by the bottom-trawling of the poaching trawlers confronted the Indian fishermen at the sea.

Some fishermen were reportedly wounded in the attack by Indian fishermen.

The SLN has called for a meeting at Munai in Point Pedro on Tuesday.