Tamil Nadu fishermen to visit Sri Lanka

A group of 19 Tamil Nadu fishermen will visit Sri Lanka on the invitation of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa to have an open dialogue with Lankan fishermen regarding the problems faced by both sides.

The Tamil Nadu fishermen's delegation who met Minister Rajapaksa in New Delhi earlier this month discussed in detail the problems faced by them.After listening to the representatives of the Tamil Nadu fishermen, Rajapaksa emphasised the importance of maintaining and enhancing people-to-people contact between the fishing communities in northern Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu to resolve problems amicably and meaningfully. He invited the Tamil Nadu fishermen to visit Sri Lanka to meet the Sri Lankan fishermen and officials including President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This was disclosed by S.P. Anthonymuthu, the mediator of the earlier meeting and Sri Lankan Coordinator of the Indo-Lanka Fishermen Platform.

Anthonymuthu said, in a media communique, the Tamil Nadu Fishermen Federation Advisor N. Devadas had informed him that the papers have been submitted to the Chief Secretary, Tamil Nadu Government for approval. Once approval is obtained they will fly to Sri Lanka during the first week of August.

The team will visit Mannar, Jaffna and meet Northern Province fishermen including in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi. The team will also meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa top officials of the Navy and Coast Guard, Cabinet Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, Dr. Rajitha Senaratna, Douglas Devananda, Arumugam Thondaman, Deputy Minister Sarath Kumara Gunaratne and the Indian High Commissioner as per the suggestions made by Basil Rajapaksa in New Delhi, according to Anthonymuthu.