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The wife of missing Sri Lankan fisherman Shantha Sebastian displays her husband's identity, as her child cries at her residence in Negombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, Feb 1, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP |
( February 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Families say Somali pirates are demanding US$6 million (S$7.5 million) for the release of six Sri Lankan fishermen who were abducted three months ago.Mr Niroshan Anthony said on Wednesday his brother and the other fishermen set out to sea in Negombo on Sri Lanka's west coast last September for multi-day fishing, but contact with the vessel was lost after one month. Anthony is the older brother of abducted fisherman Shantha Sebastian.
'They have threatened to kill my brother and let us hear the gunfire on the phone if the money is not paid by Friday,' said Mr Anthony, adding that his family is unable even to meet their basic needs.
Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne confirmed the pirate attack but said the Somali government has not been able to secure the fishermen's release.- AP
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Bayagotha who boasted Somalia pirates can be defeated blasted: Come out from your hiding and save our fishermen
-Ultimatum to Govt. expires today
(Lanka-e-News-03.Feb.2012,11.45PM) Six Sri Lanka (SL) fishermen had been held captive by a group of sea pirates in the Somalian sea , and have demanded ransom from the SL Govt. for their release. This issue has created a maelstrom of controversy.
The pirates had stated that if a sum of US dollars 6 million is not paid to them they would kill the fishermen. The ultimatum given by them expires today (3).
The Defense Secretary Gotabaya after winning the war , once blabbered boastfully that the SL army can even defeat the Somalia marauders . The people will surely remember how proudly he announced this at that time in order to secure a contract for the Navy to provide security to ships.
Later , after imprisoning the Army Commander who won the war for him and the country, he humiliated the Army by engaging them to cut drains, cleaning latrine pits and sell vegetables. Now the opportunity has presented itself to Gota to make good his vainglorious boasts . Yet the Govt. has done nothing so far to rescue the fishermen . Hence , this has confirmed to the people that Gotabaya better known as BayaGotha (coward Gotha) is indeed a shameless coward.
These fishermen were seized as far back as four months ago. The Govt. took no action to get them released. But now suddenly ,by blaming on technological issues and that the fishermen by committing trespass on the territorial waters have insulted the country, Govt. is trying to wash its hands of the fishermen in turmoil after fastening the blame on them.
The People’s campaign had this to say on this issue :
Based on media reports the pirates have reduced the ransom amount by half . Yet because the Govt. showed no interest to rescue the fishermen and the deadline has expired , the lives of fishermen are at stake more than before.
Firstly , it should be noted that the Govt. has no right to mount the blame on the fishermen who had allegedly committed trespass ,and claim that they have brought disgrace to the country .Fishing trawlers of Foreign Companies were allowed for a long period to poach on our waters . Consequently , our fishermen who were deprived of their means of getting a good haul and were not protected by any security measures, necessarily had to travel farther and trespass on foreign territorial waters..
Besides , it should be pinpointed that the image of a country is not soiled by a fishing trawler committing trespass on the waters. The image of a country is destroyed when human rights are undermined. It is when abductions , murders , disappearances, rapes , child molestations rage and Democratic Institutions are crumbling under a regime which stokes those evils, that a country’s image stands to be tarnished.
The pirates had stated that if a sum of US dollars 6 million is not paid to them they would kill the fishermen. The ultimatum given by them expires today (3).
The Defense Secretary Gotabaya after winning the war , once blabbered boastfully that the SL army can even defeat the Somalia marauders . The people will surely remember how proudly he announced this at that time in order to secure a contract for the Navy to provide security to ships.
Later , after imprisoning the Army Commander who won the war for him and the country, he humiliated the Army by engaging them to cut drains, cleaning latrine pits and sell vegetables. Now the opportunity has presented itself to Gota to make good his vainglorious boasts . Yet the Govt. has done nothing so far to rescue the fishermen . Hence , this has confirmed to the people that Gotabaya better known as BayaGotha (coward Gotha) is indeed a shameless coward.
These fishermen were seized as far back as four months ago. The Govt. took no action to get them released. But now suddenly ,by blaming on technological issues and that the fishermen by committing trespass on the territorial waters have insulted the country, Govt. is trying to wash its hands of the fishermen in turmoil after fastening the blame on them.
The People’s campaign had this to say on this issue :
Based on media reports the pirates have reduced the ransom amount by half . Yet because the Govt. showed no interest to rescue the fishermen and the deadline has expired , the lives of fishermen are at stake more than before.
Firstly , it should be noted that the Govt. has no right to mount the blame on the fishermen who had allegedly committed trespass ,and claim that they have brought disgrace to the country .Fishing trawlers of Foreign Companies were allowed for a long period to poach on our waters . Consequently , our fishermen who were deprived of their means of getting a good haul and were not protected by any security measures, necessarily had to travel farther and trespass on foreign territorial waters..
Besides , it should be pinpointed that the image of a country is not soiled by a fishing trawler committing trespass on the waters. The image of a country is destroyed when human rights are undermined. It is when abductions , murders , disappearances, rapes , child molestations rage and Democratic Institutions are crumbling under a regime which stokes those evils, that a country’s image stands to be tarnished.
The Govt . cannot escape its responsibility on flimsy grounds saying it is unable to successfully negotiate with the pirates and marauders because of the technological handicaps , because even at this moment , and always this Govt . has had fond dealings and close intimate association with marauders , plunderers and murderers .
To a Govt. as this which doesn’t care two hoots for the woes and justifiable demands of the working class, it looking the other way in respect of these fishermen whose lives are in dire peril is unsurprising.
To a Govt. as this which doesn’t care two hoots for the woes and justifiable demands of the working class, it looking the other way in respect of these fishermen whose lives are in dire peril is unsurprising.
