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Colombo eases curbs on fishing on the eastern coast

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan government has announced easing of restrictions on fishermen in the eastern province.

Basil Rajapaksa, Senior Adviser to President, told a delegation of fishermen from the east that after the success of the operation against the LTTE, the government had decided to allow fishing during the whole day in the Eastern Sea, except in the Trincomalee harbour area.

“However, fishermen who use ‘Teppan’ [those who go out to sea] are allowed to fish between 4 a.m. and 6 p.m.,” Mr. Rajapaksa was quoted as saying by the Department of Information.

“Additionally, the 24-hour ban imposed on fishing in the Trincomalee harbour area has also been revised by the government. Accordingly, fishermen are allowed to fish in the harbour area from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, boats which are used in the harbour area have to obtain the approval of the Navy,” it said.

Separately, the military said troops in the Vellamullaivaikkal coast, Mullaithivu, had uncovered an LTTE “submersible vehicle” on Sunday. The 24ft-long, 4ft-tall vehicle was found several metres off the coast.

The Defence Ministry said three personnel attached to LTTE’s medical wing were produced before the Chief Magistrate for Colombo for inspection. They include Thangamutthu Sathyamoorthi, the former medical superintendent for Kilinochchi Hospital; Kandaswamy Thurai Kethish, claimed to be the LTTE’s medical wing head; and Arumugam Jayalakshmi, a nurse, who are now in CID detention.

Meanwhile, pro-LTTE TamilNet on Monday talked about establishment of a “transitional government” to strengthen the diaspora to achieve the goal of “independence and sovereignty of Eezham Tamils in the home country”.

The “editorial board” of TamilNet said the need of the hour was the metamorphosis of the existing infrastructure into a democratic and inclusive trans-national government of the Tamils and to meet international challenges internationally.

“While the government in exile is a conventional phenomenon that needs a host country, the trans-national government is a novel experiment that has no precedence,” it said.

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