TN fishermen association holds talks with Lankan official

Representatives of National Fishworkers' Forum met for around 90 minutes the deputy high commissioner of Sri Lanka to Southern India

Representatives of a fishermen's association in Tamil Nadu today met a senior Sri Lankan official here, taking up with him the release of Indian fishermen arrested by the island navy.

Representatives of the National Fishworkers' Forum met A Sabarullah Khan, Deputy High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Southern India here and held discussions for around 90 minutes.

Forum chairperson M Elango said representatives from the six districts of Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram and Karaikal (Puducherry) met Khan to take up the issue of release of Tamil Nadu fishermen jailed in Sri Lanka prisons and their boats.

"He gave a patient hearing and we explained in detail about our livelihood (fishing)," Elango said.

The Deputy High Commissioner on his part told them that arrangements were on for a meeting of fishermen associations from India and Sri Lanka on January 20, as proposed by the Tamil Nadu government.

Sri Lankan Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne is due to visit New Delhi for the proposed bilateral talks on Tuesday on the fishermen issue.