Deputy Minister of Port & Aviation of Sri Lanka failed to answer to the questions raised by Negombo Lagoon Fishermen on burning sea plane issue. Fishermen keep deputy minister over the fence.
Alliance for Protection of Negombo Lagoon, organized protest staged against the decision taken by the Rajapaksha Government for landing sea plane on Negombo lagoon today.
Thousands of fishermen agitated accusing government as well as provincial politicians who lead this sea plane project neglecting fisher’s rights in Negombo. They were showing posters and placards to show their objection for so called project which losses more than 15 000 of livelihood of lagoon fishers.
After serious of discussion held between fishermen and politicians, they had taken step to hold this protest with the help of National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, Negombo Lagoon fishers Labors organization, Sri Wimukthi fisher women organization and also fisher trade union in Negombo today.
Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka had invited fishers leaders to attend the meeting at Negombo municipal council for further discussing about the sea plane issue as well as they had invited to the deputy minister of port and aviation Sri Lanka Dyasritha Thisera, Duputy Minsiter Sarath Gnarathne, and some other provincial council ministers also were presented.
According to fishermen’s views already the project has been started on the lagoon without informing fishermen as well as banding access of fishermen where the most productive area in the lagoon is being dug with machines.
Duputy Minister had promised fishermen that he would never agree for digging the lagoon to implement this project as it destroys even fish breeding in the lagoon, but, the given promised had been broken by him by now according to Mr. Ranjith, conservator of Negombo Lagoon.
“ You told us that the lagoon would never dug , but what has happened to the laggon now..? Already the lagoon was dug more than 500 meters. How do you going to protect this lagoon..? If you can’t stop this sea plane project, you would face to a big problem in the recent future. We are against this sea plane project.” Aruna Shantha, A fisher trade union leader said.
“Our lives are depending on this lagoon. So, we don’t need sea plane any more stop digging the lagoon” a fisher women from Sri Wimukthi Fisher women’s organization crying said.
All fishermen were shouting in the top of their voice to roll up this project and stop digging the lagoon.
As a result of this protest, Deputy Minister of port and aviation Dayasritha Thisera promised them to stop digging the lagoon temporary as he was failed to give neither acceptable solution no answer to questions raised by the fishermen.
“We will not go to make any committee of fishermen anymore, as already done. As people’s representatives, you need to convey these fishermen’s burning problem to the president MR for a pragmatic solution” said Herman Kumara, National Convener of National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO), replying to the question of Deputy Minister.
