Call for the removal of restriction to fish in the Palk Bay

Call for the immediate removal of the restriction to fish in the Palk Bay sea region is gathering momentum, as the security situation along the country’s Northwest coastline is gradually stabilizing immediately after Mannar district falls under the Government control. The restriction to fish in the Palk Bay region was imposed on 27 March 2006, and the sea region was declared a security Zone.

Minister of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Abdul Risath Bathiutien, who is also the District MP for Vanni representing Mannar, while congratulating President Mahinda Rajapakse for liberating the entire Mannar district from the LTTE’s clutches, also appealed to the President to allow the fishermen in the region to fish in the Palk Bay regions for their livelihood support.

Many fishermen organizations and fishermen cooperatives in the region are also appealing to do away with the restrictions and to allow fishermen to fish in the Palk Bay waters. They all pointed out as the security situation has stabilized to a great extent, fishermen should be allowed to fish while Navy could provide the required security in the Sri Lankan waters.

It is pointed out that by allowing the fishermen to fish in the Palk Bay would serve a dual purpose.

1. Allowing the fishermen to fish under safe conditions would provide livelihood support for thousands of fishermen and to their families.

2. Also would prevent the infiltration of foreign fishing vessels in Sri Lankan waters, especially vessels belonging to Tamil Nadu fishermen, as well as the movements of LTTE boats, which are in a big way involved in smuggling of war related materials.

Fishermen organizations said since the Palk Bay region was declared a security zone, Lankan fishermen hitherto were unable to have a descent living economically because of the conflict situation in the North.

According to a statistics there are more than 1 million people involved in the fish related trades and out of them nearly 300,000 are fishermen involved in fishing for their livelihood. In Puttalam district as well as in the Northern Province, statistics reveal that there are more than 50,000 people involved in fishing for their livelihood.

At present, the island nation of Sri Lanka, which is surrounded all sides by sea rich in prawns, shrimps, squids, crabs and fishes, is spending annually to import fish around USD 170 to 200 million.

Though Sri Lanka Government has declared Palk Bay region a security zone and forbidden Sri Lankan fishermen to fish, however the Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu unmindful of restriction continues to poach in the Sri Lanka’s Palk bay sea region.

Indian fishermen used to cross into Sri Lankan waters and are seen poaching in the seas near point Pedro coast, Mannar and Delfts, depleting the rich fish resources available in the Sri Lankan waters.

It is said if the Navy is able to give the security cover for Sri Lankan fishermen who are presently surviving on government handouts such as dry ration subsidies, this would in great way help to diffuse tension in the North

Minister Abdul Risath Bathiyutheen speaking to News-Lanka said it is high time we also look into the concerns and wishes of our own fishermen. He added once the Northern fishermen are allowed to fish in the Palk Bay region this would be in a big way dissuade the Tamil Nadu fishermen to enter into Sri Lankan waters and poach.

Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai P.M. Amza when contacted told News-Lanka that since January 2006 to date, nearly 306 Indian fishermen were arrested for poaching in the Sri Lankan waters and majority of them were released without even filing charges against them in the courts and even those who were charged were released by withdrawing their cases on compassionate and humanitarian grounds.

But on the contrary, it has been pointed out that, at present there are about 26 Sri Lankan fishermen arrested by Indian authorities and are held in the Madurai jail. Regarding their plight, the Joint Interrogation Committee headed by the Collector of Tuticorin has recently considered to take legal action against those Sri Lankan fishermen who are languishing in the Madurai Jail.

So far Tamil Nadu Government led by pro-LTTE Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has failed to reciprocate the goodwill gesture shown by the Sri Lanka Government.

Srimal Pinto, who is the coordinator of the Association for the Release of Innocent Fishermen of Sri Lanka, in an interview has pointed out that regarding the Sri Lankan fishermen languishing in the Madurai Jail, he has met Tuticorin Collector Palaniyandi and appeal for their release. He said the Collector was highly indifferent and was very antagonistic. He also said that he has also met the Director of Fisheries of the Tamil Nadu Government and appealed in vain for the release of Sri Lankan fishermen. He also added he made several attempts to meet K.P.P. Samy, Minister of Fisheries of Tamil Nadu state, but so far he was not afforded with an appointment for the meeting.

JVP should practice inner party democracy

General Secretary of the National Freedom Front Nandana Gunathilaka said the JVP must follow democratic path before asking others to follow the path of democracy.

“They must follow democratic practices within their party, said Mr.Gunathilaka in a press statement.

A number of NFF members were assaulted by the JVP members, he alleged.However JVP strongmen Anura Kumara Dissanayake said NFF have made false allegations against the JVP to obtain cheap publicity. “This is method of the NFF, he said.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday Mr. Dissanayake said the JVP never bother about NFF activities. Responding to media he said election monitors do not have man power
to monitor the entire election process and the JVP does not accept their reports.

“We do not have confidence on their activities and their final reports which do not reflect the true situation of the elections.

“If they want to monitor an election in selected areas, they pick people from those areas and obtain their reports. Can we accept their reports? Because they do not have prior experience on election monitoring process, he said.

Meanwhile addressing the National Professionals’ Council, the Election Commissioner lamented that he had been unable to set up a safety net to safeguard voters as he could not find at least 100 unbiased, efficient public officials.

The Election Commissioner stated that the 1972 and 1978 constitutions took away the personal independence and prompted the public officials to serve the politicians.

He said that he would have set up an alternative structure in addition to police to monitor and report election malpractices and violence if there were an adequate number of unbiased public officials.

After meting the Election Commissioner, Prof. Oliver Abenayaka, the Supreme Council member of National Professionals’ Council addressed media and said that they urged the Commissioner to safeguard the democratic rights of the people in the coming Provincial Council elections.

Sri Lanka Government to open up A-32 Road

One of the main objectives of the present liberation operation in the North is to find an alternate land route for the people of the Jaffna Peninsula to travel down to the South and other parts of the country. Government spokesman expressed optimism that the LTTE controlled Pooneryn in Kilinochchi district is expected to fall soon and A 32 Road will be opened up for the people of the Jaffna peninsula to travel up and down to the country’s South Minister Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella : "Once we retake Pooneryn located in the Northwest coastline, the supply lines to the LTTE from that side of India will be totally stopped." Minister Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella : "Once we retake Pooneryn located in the Northwest coastline, the supply lines to the LTTE from that side of India will be totally stopped."

Minister Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella, Government Spokesman for Defence and National Security, when speaking to News told that A-9 land route to Colombo was closed to the people of the Jaffna peninsula due to the intransigence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He said Prabakaran and his men continue to shed crocodile tears while adamantly refusing to lay down their arms and thus bringing untold misery and hardship to our Tamil brethrens.

Given below the excerpts if the interview News had with Minister Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella:

Dr. Keheliya Rambukkawela: As you know now that Vidathaltivu, the LTTE’s largest sea base located in the Northwest coastline has fallen and we are trying get through to Pooneryn located in the A 32 Road, in the Kilinochchi district, which lays on the south of the Jaffna Lagoon and could reach Karativu on the other side of the Lagoon and to Jaffna via Navatkuli through a ferry.

Once we retake Pooneryn located in the Northwest coastline, the supply lines to the LTTE from that side of India will be totally stopped. Also on the other side we are almost there in Nayaru. Even today (09 August), the Air Force planes attacked Nayaru.

Basically the sea-bases which the Sea Tigers have been boasting about are now coming under the control of the Government forces. If you look at, in the last three months basically there was only three confrontations by the Sea Tigers and in those confrontations Navy was able to take control of those situations over there.Map showing A - 32 RoadMap showing A - 32 Road

The important thing is that what Soosai, Head of LTTE's Sea Tiger unit of the LTTE has been boasting about is not receding but it almost coming to zero, which in turn means that Navy has consolidated their positions and taken control of the entire Northwest sea belt.

News : Since the capture of Vidathaltivu, so far you have finished mopping up all the areas in the Mannar District. Now the next town beyond Velankulam in A – 32 Road is Kumulamunai and Pallavarayankaddu ?

Dr. Keheliya Rambukkawela : That is on the North West Coast?

News: Yes. These two areas are falling under Kilinochchi district?

Dr. Keheliya Rambukkawela : These areas are cutting across Kilinochchi … no? So if we now move from A point to B point, i.e., from Mannar to Pooneryn, then it means that we are cutting half way into Kilinochchi.

News : Then there is the Kalmunai Point from where Tigers fire artilleries to Palali Army Complex and the Forward Defence Line - Muhamalai

Dr. Keheliya Rambukkawela : Basically their heavy artillery guns are presently positioned in Pooneryn. Once we reach there and take over Pooneryn, they have to flee leaving those guns behind or move their heavy guns away from there, then the attacks on Palali and Muhamali will cease, because the range of those guns in the possession of the LTTE are between 24KM to 27 KM only. So that will cut off.

Also there is another important issue that has cropped up now. We have cleared the complete area in and around the Madhu Church. Apart from the normal duties of the Army, it went all out and completely cleared the area from land mines and booby traps laid by the LTTE and made the roads available for the people to come in to Madhu.

We did all things needed for the Madhu, but of course we cannot get into the administration of the Madhu Church. Therefore we have now handed over the area to the Bishop. Now our understanding is that there are seven Catholic priests living over there.

Earlier the Statue of Our Lady of Madhu was taken to an LTTE controlled area 40 KM away. That area Devanpiddy is now under the Government control. But unfortunately the Bishop has made a statement that they are not going to hold the annual feast for this year.

News: It seems that they have some time constraints, because Bishop took over the Church on the 6th of August and the feast has to be held on the 15th of August

Dr. Keheliya Rambukkawela : You mean to say they faces logistical problems.

News: I think yes, but the Bishop of Mannar has stated that Sri Lanka Government as well as the LTTE should declare Madhu area a ‘No Conflict Zone’ on the lines also urged by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka. Your comments?

Dr. Keheliya Rambukkawela : That was a very contentious statement. When the area was held by the LTTE, either the Bishop of Mannar or the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka did not urge the LTTE to declare Madhu as a ‘No Conflict Zone’.

But now when Government has taken over the Madhu area, the Bishop wants that area to be declared as a sacred area or in other words a ‘No Conflict Zone’. The fact remains that he did not make such demands when the LTTE was there.

News: According to our information the entire Madhu region and neighboring areas are under the control of the Government, then where is LTTE coming into this picture?

Dr. Keheliya Rambukkawela : The whole area is under a legitimate government.

News: Then how come the Bishop expects the Tamil Tigers to make a statement?

Dr. Keheliya Rambukkawela : We are very much concerned about the statement made by the Bishop of Mannar. Because there is no way the LTTE can provide security as the whole Madhu region is under the control of the sovereign legitimate Government of Sri Lanka. It amounts to Bishop inviting LTTE as a party to the territory. That is why we are very much concerned about the contentious statement of the Bishop of Mannar.

News: Why doesn’t the Government invite the Bishop of Mannar and members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka and find out what they are up to?

Dr. Keheliya Rambukkawela : I intend to discuss this issue with our President and suggest him to invite the Bishops to discuss about this issue.

SLAF destroys Tiger intelligence control network

The Air Force confirmed that they completely destroyed the LTTE’s main intelligence network control centre at Puthukkudiyirippu, Mullativu yesterday morning.

Air Force Spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara confirmed that the pilots had taken the target accurately and the intelligence network centre was completely destroyed during the attack carried out around 9:55 a.m.
Air Force fighter jets were engaged in the attack.

Meanwhile, yesterday around 10 a.m., the Air Force fighter jets carried out an operation targeting an LTTE supply centre located 15 kilometres west of Puthukudiyirippu at Vishvamadhu, Mullativu.

The Air Force pilots declared that the place was completely destroyed in the attack”, Com. Nanayakkara confirmed.
On Friday midnight an LTTE radar centre was destroyed by the Air Force situated Nagadivanthurai jetty in Pooneryn. MI 24 helicopters were engaged in the attack.

Declare assets in the Wanni

The Disaster Management Ministry has directed all NGOs and INGOs operating in the Wanni and other uncleared areas to submit details of their movable and immovable assets in the region.
This directive has been made in order to determine as to what action the government should take to prevent them from going into LTTE hands.

It has been reported that at least 40 SUVs (Special Utility Vehicles) belonging to Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) had gone missing in the Wanni region recently and believed to be in the hands of the LTTE. Earlier, several heavy equipment and machinery left behind by the NPA had also been taken over by the LTTE. This equipment had been used for de-mining by the Norwegians in the Wanni region

Highly placed government sources told The Nation that the NPA had been specifically told that, vehicles taken into the Wanni for humanitarian work, should not be be used for any military purpose. They had also been told that, since it is difficult to engage in humanitarian work in the area, owing to the ongoing operations, such vehicles should be brought back to non conflict areas. The government had also told the representatives of the NPA that, they should exert international pressure on the LTTE to refrain from using such vehicles for military or other purposes and return them immediately. According to government sources, NPA officials had given a guarantee that they would pursuade the LTTE to return those vehicles.

NGO sources in Colombo told The Nation that, if the LTTE decides to use these SUVs, white in colour, for their operations in the region, their (the NGOs) humanitarian missions will be in jeopardy, since all the SUVs will become targets of the security forces.

Meanwhile, Essential Services Commissioner General S.B. Divaratne, had decided to restrict the supply of fuel to the INGOs operating in the Wanni.

In a letter addressed to several INGOs, the Divaratne has requested them to submit details pertaining to their projects/activities undertaken in the uncleared areas, including location of the project and number of vehicles, machinery used etc.

The letter further states thus: “It is informed that due to ongoing operations in the north, it would be difficult for the NGOs/INGOs to implement the projects they have undertaken in the uncleared areas. Further, it is also reported that, a large number of vehicles, machinery, equipment, belonging to the NGOs /INGOs had been robbed by the LTTE for their use.
Under the circumstances, this information is required in order to reassess the request made for the issuance of fuel for future demands of your organisation.”

10 terrorists killed, 36 wounded

59 Division troops operating North of Janakapura and Kiriibbanwewa in Mullaittiuvu, Wednesday (August 6) mounted multiple assaults at LTTE strong-points and heavy gun positions killing 10 LTTE terrorists and injuring 36 others, defence sources said.

Troops have also repulsed consecutive LTTE offensive attempts to breach military defences since yesterday morning in general area North of Janakapura. The LTTE terrorists were forced to retreat with heavy casualties as confrontations had continued till late evening on Wednesday, military sources reported citing ground troops.