Compromise on fishing dispute: Northern fishermen vow to overturn boats

Northern fishermen leaders have sought a meeting with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to protest over proposals to grant fishing licences to a limited number of Indian fishermen to fish in Lankan waters.

The Sunday Times last week exclusively reported that a proposal to grant fishing licences to a limited number of Indian fishermen was under consideration.

Jaffna Fishermen's Association leader Naganathy Ponnambalam said this proposal came from the Indian side and Sri Lanka's fishermen would oppose it strongly. He said they would not allow anyone to impose a proposal on them.

He said the fishermen would seek a clear decision by the Government before the proposed visit of Fisheries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to New Delhi soon.

Meanwhile, the Northern Fishermen's Unity Alliance, which consists of fishermen's cooperative societies across five districts, is scheduled to stage a protest on Tuesday outside the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) building to oppose the proposal.

"We will not allow Indian fish- ermen to fish under any circumstances or special arrangements,” said V. Sumbramuniyam, President of the Jaffna Fishermen's Cooperative Societies Union.

This week alone, at least 39 Indian fishermen were arrested for poaching in the northern seas and have been remanded. At present, 73 Indian fishermen and 101 fishing trawlers are in custody.