Jaffna fishermen protest opposite Indian Consulate [February 21 2011]

Nearly 200 fishermen from Jaffna peninsula and their families staged a protest in front of  India’s Consulate in Jaffna today against the intrusion by Indian fishermen into Sri Lankan waters. The protesters urged the Indian authorities to take measures to prevent the Indian fishermen from stealing their marine resources and destroying livelihoods by entering Sri Lanka’s territorial waters.

The protesters said that the fishermen from the North are afraid to go into the areas they are permitted due to the presence of the Indian trawlers. "The Indian fishermen destroy our nets and the fish breeding groups," a protester said. A group of fishermen in Jaffna has handed over a petition explaining the hardships they have to face due to the Indian fishermens actions to Jaffna Government Agent Emelda Sukumar and the Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe.