The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Sri Lanka releases five Indian vessels

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Saturday, Nov 04, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Sri Lanka releases five Indian vessels

Special Correspondent

Decision follows appeals made by fishermen's representatives

CHENNAI: Close on the heels of a meeting between the Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission and representatives of the South India Federation of Fishermen Societies (SIFFS), the Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF) and leaders of fishing communities in Tamil Nadu on October 28, the island authorities released five Indian vessels on Thursday.

In a release here, the Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission said that the meeting was a follow-up to the discussions held during the visit of Deputy High Commissioner P.M. Amza to Kerala.

Problems at sea

The main focus of the meeting was to provide a forum for the leaders of fishing communities from Tamil Nadu and the functionaries of the SIFFS and the ARIF to explain the problems fishermen encountered at sea, close to the Sri Lanka border, it said.

Referring to the cordial relations between Sri Lanka and India, Mr. Amza referred to the security situation in his country. The prime task of the Sri Lankan Navy was to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the island from any "sea-based threat."

Review meetings

It was decided that review meetings would be held once in two months to assess the progress made on the issues discussed, the release said.

Following representations made by the Deputy High Commission, the Mannar Magistrate released the five Indian fishing vessels on Thursday.

Also, action was taken to secure the early release of 19 Indian fishermen who were in custody in Sri Lanka, it added.

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