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by P. Krishnasamy

The Union of Northern fishermen will shortly undertake purchase, transport and marketing of the harvest of their seas, following last Thursday's decision to lift restrictions on fishing in the North.

President of the Union of Northern Fishermen's Co-operative Societies, S. Thavaratnam, welcomed the withdrawal of restrictions which were enforced in the North for more than 15 years in terms of the Sea Security Zone Act. Their Union, comprising 67 village level fishermen's co-operative societies, and representing the entire fishing community would concentrate on marketing their harvest so that their fishermen, who suffered long, would be fully benefitted.

The decision to lift many provisions of the Sea Security Act was taken last Thursday at a high level conference at the Defence Ministry.

The conference was arranged by the Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, consequent to a four day picketing which the Union staged opposite the Jaffna Secretariat and the Jaffna Pradeshiya Sabha until last Wednesday.

This totally paralysed work in the two offices. The conference presided over by Defence Secretary, Austin Fernando, was attended by Navy chief Rear Admiral D.S.M. Wijewickrama, Jaffna GA K. Shanmuganathan, representatives of the fishermen's union and senior security and defence authorities. Later that day Union President Thavaratnam said at a press conference at the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees that all 14 demands of the Union were favourably considered and that was a major victory to them since signing the MoU.

Meanwhile the provisions of the MoU will be implemented within the specified timframe and the Government was sincere in its efforts to restore normal life in the North and East, Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees, Dr.Jayalath Jayawardena, told the Sunday Observer.

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