Vadamaradchi fishing restrictions tightened further

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 09 October 2001, 14:04 GMT]
The Sri Lanka army banned fishing at all times in Munai, a coastal village near Pt. Pedro from Tuesday. The army has also banned fishing in the coastal waters off the villages of Suppar Madam, Inparutty and Sakkottai in the Pt. Pedro area from 7 October. Fishing has also completely been banned from Thikkam to Thondamanar on the coast of the Vadamaradchi division of the Jaffna peninsula. The Sri Lanka Navy, meanwhile seized two catamarans from fishermen at sea off the Munai coast Monday night. The fishermen were arrested but released later.

The SLA’s 52-4 brigade in Pt. Pedro, however, did not release the two catamarans. The SLA banned fishing off the coast of Vadamaradchi from 1 September and lifted it partially on 28 September.

The SLA issued a leaflet Monday stating that each fishing family affected by the ban is being paid 1500 rupees (16 USD) a month as compensation. The army leaflet states that the families are also being issued dry rations.

The Federation of Vadamaradchi Fishermen’s Co-operatives denied the SLA’s claim. “We have not been issued with any dry rations so far. Fishing families have only been paid 50 rupees per day for 25 days”, a spokesman for the federation said.