Sirisena calls on govt. to end illegal fishing by Indians in SL waters

By Dinasena Ratugamage

The current administration must take immediate steps to prevent Indian fishermen from poaching in Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, former President Maithripala Sirisena said on Sunday, addressing a meeting in Jaffna. He added that during his administration, he had managed to control the poaching by Indians.

Sirisena made this statement taking part in the SLFP Jaffna District conference, held in the Uduppidi Stadium, Jaffna.

SLFP Jaffna MP, Angajan Ramanathan organised the event which was attended by a large number of people.

“The government must keep its promises. The government promised that it would solve the issues faced by Jaffna fishermen. When the late Sirimavo Bandaranaike was in power she promised to assist Jaffna farmers and she kept the promise. The Jaffna farmers are hard working and she gave them a lot of concessions. When she arrived in Jaffna, the farmers greeted her with garlands made of vegetables. When Hector Kobbekaduwa ran for president, the people in Jaffna supported him. They voted for me, when I ran for President. I have not forgotten that,” he said.

Sirisena said that during his tenure MP. Ramanathan had been made Deputy Minister of Agriculture. Under the administration, the issues faced by the people have increased dramatically, he added.

“Things were never this bad. Even during my administration, a lot of development work was done in the North but now there is no money. We are nearing an economic crisis,” he said.