The Hindu : Fish workers stage dharna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 28, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Fish workers stage dharna

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, MARCH 27. Members of the Singaravelar Munnetra Kazhagam and the Tamil Nadu Samathuva Meenava Thozhilalar Sangam (Socialist Fish Workers Forum) yesterday staged a protest demonstration at Park Town in Central Chennai, to highlight their ``livelihood demands'' including inclusion of fisherfolk in the list of Scheduled Tribes, reservation in jobs and education, creation of national ``seaway corridors'' connecting major and minor ports and declaring fishing an industry.

They also sought land documents for fisherfolks in their traditional homelands along waterways and seas; faster implementation of the Sethu Samudhram project, and banning of international operators and trawlers from deep sea fishing off Indian waters and lifting of the ban on fishing of certain types of sea creatures such as sharks.

All fishermen who are held in Sri Lankan jails should be brought back and the Centre should take the issue of Katchatheevu to the International Court of Justice.

They also wanted a fishing harbour created at Colachel and stoppage of any effort to displace fisherfolk in the name of beach beautification.

The Singaravelar Munnetra Kazhagam president, Muthu Gunasekaran, and the Fish Workers Forum leader, Kumari Nambi, led the protestors.

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