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.

Pallimunai: Another victimized community in Mannar

Pallimunai is another coastal village in Mannar district. They are also have so many pathetic stories of adverse effects of the brutal war which was ended exactly 5 years ago in May, 2009.
However, the peace dividences were not reached the Pallimunai west community as Police were occupied their houses until 2011. When police released the houses around 19 in number, navy occupied the same houses with out handing over them to settle in their houses.
Pallimunai west community expected to take legal action demanding their houses and occuopied land back from Navy. However legal procedure is also not in favour of the community members who lost their own land and houses at Pallimunai.
What would be our future?
We want our land and houses back. We dont want any compensation at all. If the government allow us to return to our homes that is all what we expect from them. We will reoair our damaged houses our own.

Have we Sri Lankan assessed the consequences of the Resolution on SL at UN HR Council at Geneva

There were 3 resolutions on Sri Lanka during the past 3 years of 2012, 2013 and this year. When we closely observe the countries those who supported to the resolution against Sri Lanka, it is clear those are the countries we are having very strong trade relationships in an international trade. At the same time, the countries those voted against the resolutions and supported to Sri Lanka are not having such relationship rather we import from those countries than exports. According to the 2012 and 2013 records, the trade relationships are important with the countries those supported to resolution and voted against the Sri Lankan stand. Those countries who supported to resolution and voted against Sri Lanka have contributed to 80% of the exports and 60% of imports in those two years. However, it is obvious all the other countries contribution in the trade among Sri Lanka are 20% for exports and 40% in imports. The other important factor is to consider is that the trade balance of the international trade with the exports and imports. However, this is really an alarming situation as the trade balance of the international trade in those countries who supported to the resolution is [+] positive as the export income has exceeded the import expenditure. When we consider the trade balance with the countries who supported to the resolution against Sri Lanka in 2014, it is + 3.2 Billion USD and is an important figure in Sri Lankan international trade context. Where as the trade balance among the countries who voted against the resolution and supported to Sri Lankan stand was [-]4.1 Billion USD. However, it is not considered the trade balance between Sri Lanka and India. It is around [-] 2.6 Billion USD in 2013. It is obvious fact that the trade balance is important to a country like Sri Lanka. When we see the information based on the Sri Lanka Customs records it is we, Sri Lankans depend on higher percentage of foreign exchange earnings on trade relationships from the countries who supported to the UN HRC resolution in all three years [Except India during the year 2014]. Is this not an alarming situation? If the Sri Lankan government continue to say, "We don't allow any one to come to the country for any investigation based on the UN HRC resolution adopted." what would be the consequences on trade and foreign exchange earnings from those countries? They contribute higher percentage for the National Economic Growth as the contribution from export earnings to the Gross Domestic Product [GDP] was 16% in 2013. Can we forget all these positive relationships and continue to say we do not cooperate any international investigation process.? This is really consider our politicians before we take such decisions. Trade is one part. But there are many other aspects. Military cooperation, international cooperation on development, education, technology transfers etc. etc. So, this is a crucial stage the whole country come to a consensus how to move forward forgetting the divisions. But, there are basic matters to fulfill by the GOSL as the implementation of the recommendations emerged from the LLRC report is the basis for the cooperation from the opposition parties, civil society and concern other parties including international community. As we failed to implement our own identified recommendations, international community come to interfere internal matters which is a shame as a nation. Source: Verite Research

CGR substitute workers on Hunger Strike

The CGR substitute workers are under hunger strike for the third day demanding permanent their jobs. Interestingly the hunger strike is leading the workers belong to the ruling party trade union. It was reported 3 out of 10 protestors were hospitalized yesterday including the secretary to the union as their physical situation was so critical.
The report said the transportation minister visited the campaign site at Fort station and requested to give up the hunger strike saying he will take the responsibility to get the cabinet approval for the letter prepared by his ministry though the protestors denied tge request and continued the protest further aggressively.
Media reported again the blocking of railway lines by protestors caused to delay 10 railways yesterday and the situation was so tensed.
Now there are more than one thousand workers are awaiting to see what the cabinet decision over their issue as the cabinet meeting to be held today, on Wednesday,