Another set of Indian fishers released.

As a goodwill measure on the occasion of Narendra Modi's swearing in President Rajapaksa instructs release of all Indian fishermen in SL custody- adaderana.lk
Now Sri Lankan fisher communities, boat owners, affected family members should begin to demand from SL President and Indian Prime Minister to release all SL fishermen and boats held in various places in India.
On 22nd May one of my colleague Vincent Sebastian who is working in Sri Vimikthi Fisher women organization informed me the arrest of 3 SL boats and 14 fish workers by Indian coast guards. What will be the fate of Sri Lankan fishermen during the Modi regime. Need a solution for all of the fishers who suffers Indian trawler issue and deep sea fishery.

Change! Yes,With Reforms! NAFSO facilitated Jaffna Civil Society forum

There was a discussion held at Jaffna among civil society groups, academics, media, political leadership, IDPs, Fisheries groups on current socio, political and economic situation in the northern province.
* Political tension due to oppression,
* Ibternally Displaced People

NFF India take a strong stand on FIsher People's Issues-Press statement after Elections

In Sri Lanka, we have only one million fisher population and we are priviledged to have a Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic resources though there in no serious mechanism to redress the grievances of fisher people's. But, the case of India is totally different with 100 million fisher population in the country, there is no fisheries ministry established in the system and the fisher people's issues are to direct through ministry of agriculture and animal husbandry.

The NFF Chairperson, the counter part of NAFSO Sri Lanka, he had issued a press statement while congratulating newly formed Indian government under the Premiership of Narendra Modi of Bharatheeya Janatha Party demanding due attention to pay for the fisher population in India.
I thought it is good to share this information as we are concern about the trends of Indian politics as well as welfare of the Indian fisher people. However, it should state at this stage, I am personally and as a movement, we are not 100% agree to what Illango had stated in his statement over BJP and their future.

PRESS STATMENT of M. Illango.

                                      PRESS NOTE             

          National Fishworkers’ Forum, Chairperson M.Ilango – Ex.M.L.A., has stated the following, during the Press Meet held on 20.05.2014 at the Administrative Office of NFF at Pondicherry.   The details as follows:-

          NFF congratulates the Prime Minister Designate Shri. Narendhra Modiji and the Barathiya Janatha Party for their greatest victory in the 16^th Lok Sabha Election.   It also congratulates all the 543 newly elected members of  Parliament  to the 16^th Lok Sabha.

          Fishermen Community who are living in the 36 Indian States including 7 Union Territories, in which marine fishers are living in the 13 Coastal States and Inland fishers are living in 36 States had not been paid any attention or due care or adequate representation in the Parliament during the past 65 years by the Central Governments governed by the Congress and other parties. 

          To cite this inattentive nature of Central Government, NFF conducted various agitations throughout the Nation during the past 1-1/2 years.

          Posing the main demands as

1.   Create separate Ministry in the Centre for fisheries and fishermen welfare and

2.   Include the fishermen Community into the Scheduled Tribe list

NFF dragged the attention of the then Prime Minister, Central Ministers, Members of Parliament, Chairperson of UPA through its five days Dharna in New Delhi during March 2013, in front of Parliament at Jantar Mantar.

          But as usual, no fruitful steps had been carried out by the then Central Government.  

          To emphasize our demands for redressal under the Chairmanship of M.Ilango, the NFF office bearers along with other important leaders met the then Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh, Mrs.Sonia Gandhi, President of INC, Mr.Rahul Gandhi, Vice President of INC, Prime Minister Designate Shri.Narendra Modi, Mr.Rajnath Singh – President BJP, Mrs.Sushma Swaraj, Mr.Arun Jaitly, Mr.Nithin Katkari, all BJP leaders and all other National and regional political party leaders and requested them to include the main demands of National Fishworkers’ Forum in their Election Manifesto which was to be released for the Lok Shaba Election and also requested the leaders to openly support our demands and asked them to announce the acceptance of our demands during their Election Campaign.

          We extend our heartiest gratitude to the National and Regional political parties which included our demands in their Election Manifesto and also for their announcement of the acceptance of our demands during the time of their Election Campaign.

          The leaders of BJP, Prime Minister designate Mr.Narendra Modi, Mr.Rajnath Singh, Mrs.Sushma Swaraj, Mr.Arun Jaitly, Mr.Nithin Katkari have openly promised during their election Campaign to fulfill the long pending important demands of fishermen community including the setting up of a separate Ministry for fisheries and fishermen welfare under the Union  Government.

          We strongly believe that it is the responsible duty of BJP and its leader Shri.Narendra Modi and others to execute their promises, since they are to ascend their Union Government at present. 

          It is also our duty to inform the BJP that during the 55 years of rule at Central by the Congress party and 6 years of tenure by BJP, no representation in the Central Cabinet had been provided to the fishing community.

          As a measure of redressal, this time the entire fishing community is eagerly waiting for a berth to its community representative in the Union Cabinet and also creation of a separate Ministry for fisheries at the Centre.  

          In order to emphasize  our request, the NFF is planning to send a letter to the Prime Minister and other leaders and also to meet them in short span of time to press our demands.  

          The entire Nation knows that BJP is the party which attributes great pride to the history of Mahabharatha for its moral values and since the entire Mahabharatha has its origin by a woman from fishermen community – the origin tribes of this Country,  to commemorate our Community, we expect justice and speedy salvation of our demands and requests at the earliest.  

          We are very grateful to the high valued culture to select a fisherman from the State of Gujarat to Rajya Sabha, unopposed during March 2014, just 2 months ago.   Likewise, we expect from Mr.Narendra Modiji to provide a berth in the Central Cabinet to a fisherman of the 16^th Lok Sabha.   

With Warm Regards,
M.Ilango Ex. M.L.A.

Enact Right to Information act- Commemorate world press freedom day

Action committee for press freedom organized a campaign demanding enact right to information act on 5th May at Fort station Colombo.
The organizers launched a petition demanding enact the bill which was got the support from various civil groups, politicians, artists and religious organization and more.
The main organizer of the campaign Saman Wagaarachi, the editor of Lakbima news paper is under threat of his job as he lead the media campaign signed the petitions first in the list.
The politicians, civil leaders and religious leaders signed the petition.