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Indian presence, Devananda suspends 5,000-boat protest
View(s):By Chris Kamalendran in Jaffna
Minister Douglas Devananda yesterday dramatically backed out from his plans for a 5,000-boat protest in the Palk Strait against poaching by Indian fishermen in the face of a visit to the north by Indian High Commissioner Ashok Kantha and heightened Indian coastguard presence along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) separating India and Sri Lanka.
Indian High Commissioner Ashok Kantha who visited Jaffna yesterday laying a wreath at the IPKF memorial as Sri Lanka called off a mid-sea protest against Indian poaching. Pic by N. Parameshwaran
Instead, he told the Sunday Times he would hold talks with Indian organisations representing Tamil Nadu fishermen. “I will give them an ultimatum to stop poaching and using illegal fishing methods,” he said.
“It is not the correct moment to stage a protest, particularly when there is a religious event at the Church of St. Anthony at Kachchativu. We will think of a protest only after this month-long warning ends,” he added.
High Commissioner Kantha’s visit to Jaffna includes an unexpected visit to Kachchativu this morning to participate at the weeklong annual St. Anthony’s church feast where Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen pay homage to the saint.
Last morning Mr. Kantha laid a wreath at the IPKF memorial at Palaly. Senior officers of the Sri Lanka Army participated in the ceremony. Mr. Kantha, also formerly inaugurated the ‘India Corner’ at the Indian Consulate General office in Jaffna. The ‘India Corner’ has been set up to enhance cultural activities by further popularising Indian classical music and dance among the people of the Northern Province. In addition, facilities for learning Yoga and Hindi will also be offered free of charge.
Minister Devananda, who is also leader of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) declared last month that some 5,000 fishermen would stage a mid-sea protest. “From time to time there were talks on the issue, but little or nothing has been done to prevent the intruders. It is time for the fishermen to show their opposition,” he said.
The reasons that prompted Minister Devananda to abandon his much publicised campaign are not known.
I spoke with representatives of fishing organisations here. Some of them said it might be due to the visit of the Indian High Commissioner to Jaffna. Mr. Devananda told the Sunday Times yesterday that he was meeting with representatives of 14 Indian fisheries organisations in Kachchativu last evening ahead of the church feast.
He said the main focus of the talks would be the poaching and harassment of Sri Lankan fishermen in Sri Lankan territorial waters.The minister said the Indians should also stop illegal fishing methods including ‘bottom trawling’ which was damaging the fishing resources of the northern coast.
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