Fishermen struggle to free arrested fishermen in Andaman....

The group of fishermen with 51 Sri Lankan fishermen was arrested in Andaman last February 8th 2009 and the government has failed to get them release from the jail and help theirs families who are without any help so far.

The big campaign was organized by the NAFSO with the help of the family members of those who are having relationship with arrested fishermen and the member organization of NAFSO. Specially Galle, Mathara, Hmbantota, Trincomalle, Kaluthara, Kurunegala, and also Puttalm district fisheries solidarity members joined with this protest to m,ake this a successful one.

The protest took place near the Elphinstone theatre Colombo and afterwards more than 500 fishermen and fisher women marched to The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic resources to meet the Minister Felix Perera for discussing on this.

As a result of the campaign, The Minister Felix Perera had to face the fishermen and he was not in the ministry when fishermen reached to the Ministry and we strongly condemn his behaviors as He behaved like a Joker in front of the fisher women.

" He will not involve in this case freeing our fishermen and we don’t know how these kinds of men are becoming such a responsible position in ministries. He asked fisher women to come to join with him for traveling India informally and He doesn’t care our issue" Fisher women, Kanthi from Puttalm.


The protest conducted very successfully to convene the minister to the ministry and there was a discussion around two hours between the Minister and the Fisher women as well as the fishermen but he refused to talk with the convener of NAFSO and the General Secretary of WFFP Mr. Herman Kumara at that moment as the Minister failed to face such a Leader who works in this campaign with fishermen for a long time.

" the discussion was carried out at least two hours and minister didn’t promise us how he can involve in this matter to free them in practically. He was behaving as a joker joking fisher women without a seriousness regarding the matter. The Minister told it would take at least one month to free the fishermen. but we are not willing to go back from this struggle and we continue this any further to until fishers come to our mother land" Loyel Peris the coordinator of the PDFS.