Colombo (AsiaNews) – More than 3 thousand gathered in capital Colombo, held a massive protest to get the authorities urgent action for the “unsolved issues” they face in long years. But yet again they achieved again only a ' written promise ' of a meeting with Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapakse in the near future.
The protest campaign was organised by the National Fisheries Solidarity (NAFSO). September 12th last, demonstrators marched waving banners and shouting slogans for three hours beneath the Fisheries Ministry, accusing the government of being deaf to their calls and of being unable to provide valid solutions to their problems.
“We have had many discussions with Authorities since 1997”, - says general secretary of the World Fisheries Forum Herman Kumara – “but still small scale fishers' lives, families are in risk”.
Almost 95 per cent of the fishing community in the country belong the small scale category. They demand the fuel subsidy till the current market price of oil comes down, as promised by the President, prevention of fishing by foreign vessels in Sri Lanka waters, a ban on all kinds of harmful fishing methods and any acceptable relief process for the victims of the War and the Tsunami.
The demonstrators warn that, “Rules and regulations safeguarding our activities already exist, but politicians do not ensure their application and the police do not punish those who violate them”.