SLA seeks fishermen’s co-operation to conduct checks

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 August 2003, 20:59 GMT]
The Sri Lanka Army Friday asked the fishermen of Vadamaradchi to co-operate with them to conduct checks on fishing crafts before and after the fishermen enter the sea, and these checks will be conducted by army sentry points which are located along the shore, fisheries sources said.

The SLA commanding officer in Vadamardchi, Col. Ratnayake, conveyed this message to the Secretary of the Vadamaradchi North Fisheries Societies' Federation, Mr.K.Sooriayakumaran, at a discussion held Friday at the 52-4 Brigade headquarters located in the Point Pedro high security zone, fisheries sources said.

The SLA official told Mr.Sooriayakumaran that fishermen could avoid unnecessary inconveniences in carrying out their profession in a cordial atmosphere by extending their co-operation to the army in conducting checks on fishing crafts to and from the sea, fisheries sources said.

Members of the Vadamaradchi North Fisheries Co-operative Societies Federation earlier held a protest campaign alleging the SLA was conducting checks and inspection arbitrarily and damaging their fishing gear, fisheries sources said.