SL Navy denies attack on the Indian Fishermen

9 November 2011 02:05 am

Sri Lanka Navy denied of any involvement in the alleged attacks on the Tamil Nadu fishermen. Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya emphasized that, “Sri Lanka Navy is the state navy and we will not do any mean thing or involve in any attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen and bring disrepute to the country and to our Naval institution.”

Fishermen in Ramanathapuram have alleged that they were attacked by Sri Lankan navy personnel in the sea off Rameswaram coast in the wee hours of Sunday.

According to their report, "One person was injured and several boats were damaged in the attacked."

In the second such incident this week, it was reported in the Indian media that Sri Lankan Naval personnel has attacked and injured 8 Tamil Nadu fishermen and 13 boats were damaged on Tuesday, when Sri Lankan Naval personnel allegedly attacked them near the International Maritime Boundary Line near Katchativu.

The spokesman said, "Those are all baseless stories. I can say on behalf of the Sri Lankan Navy that we categorically deny those sorts of allegations levelled against us in the Indian media."

When asked whether Sri Lankan Navy was involved in attacking and chasing the Tamil Nadu fishermen when they intruded into the Sri Lankan waters, Sri Lanka naval spokesman said "no such incidents took place."
Asian Tribune asked about the movement of the Sri Lankan Navy on last Sunday and Tuesday, he responded saying, "we are only doing the barrier petrol along the IMBL (International Maritime Boundary Line) and that is a continuous thing. Other than that there was no special movement of the Navy."

Sri Lankan Navy spokesman also recalled that even last week there was a report in the Indian press that the Indian Navy too had attacked the Tamil Nadu fishermen in the sea.
The spokesman said that Tamil Nadu authorities should discourage their fishermen entering into the Sri Lankan waters. If they don’t enter into our waters these sorts of things will not happen. “Unfortunately,” he said, "The Indian fishermen always deny that they are not trespassing into our waters."

Sri Lankan Navy spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya told Asian Tribune, that when they say that they were fishing around Katchativu and Katchativu is clearly marked in the navigational chart as that islet belongs to Sri Lanka. He further said that when they say that they were fishing around Katchativu that amounts to an open confession that they have intruded into Sri Lankan waters and were involved in poaching, added Sri Lanka Naval spokesman. (Source: Asian Tribune)