I DON’T CONDEMN THE ‘SINNERS’ BUT THE ‘SINS’
- MANNAR BISHOP
“I don’t ‘become’ an anti Sri Lankan, LTTEer or a separatist because people call me so. I cannot waste my time thinking of the ‘names’ given to me or stop them 
from calling me so, but I will continue to be a voice against injustice and will not tolerate violation of human rights,” says, Mannar Bishop Dr Rayappu Joseph.
- MANNAR BISHOP
“I don’t ‘become’ an anti Sri Lankan, LTTEer or a separatist because people call me so. I cannot waste my time thinking of the ‘names’ given to me or stop them from calling me so, but I will continue to be a voice against injustice and will not tolerate violation of human rights,” says, Mannar Bishop Dr Rayappu Joseph.
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan
You have been called the ‘Controversial Bishop’ and recently Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen claimed that you were the ‘cause’ for the clash in Mannar where Muslims attacked the magistrate and the Tamil fishermen in Uppukkulam? What is your explanation?
I am called a controversial Bishop because there are ‘controversial’ issues taking place and when I speak on those issues I turned to be ‘controversial’. If I speak out, I am an ‘outspoken Bishop’. If I care for the poor and fight for justice, I am an anti Sri Lankan, a LTTE or a separatist. So, what am I to do? I care less about these names, but I will keep voicing against injustice and fight against human rights violations.
In Uppukkulam, Tamil fisher folk paid a rent to the Muslims to put up vaadiayas and fish in their area for a couple of years. In 2006, they went to the Fisheries Harbour Corporation and asked permission to fish in their area. It’s just a 200 meter stretch on the beach and the additional director fisheries, and the GA issued a recommendation letter in 2006 giving permission to fish in the requested 200m beach front sea. The beach belongs to the state. Anyone can ask permission and fish but the Uppukulam Muslims did not want them to fish there. They ‘claimed’ it’s their land.
The Muslims complained to Minister Bathiudeen and he went to the district divisional secretary and the GA to tell the Tamil fishermen not to fish there. After a complaint to the police, they were given another place to fish. There too the Muslims of that area chased them. Tamils said they will wait till an area is given for fishing but nothing happened. After staying for some days, unable to starve they went fishing when the clash took place. What the judge said was to give 3 weeks and he will settle them. He was fair in his judgment. You cannot chase people off all of a sudden. And the beach stretch is owned by the state. Why cannot they let them fish there?
The Muslims say their livelihood is ‘threatened’ and less fish because all are fishing in their areas?
Muslims of that area are not fishermen. Most of them are businessmen. They don’t fish in big numbers. They have about six boats, I guess. They are seasonal fishermen looking for sea cucumber. You don’t find sea cucumber throughout the year. Only 200 meter stretch of the beach was used for fishing by the Tamils. Do you mean all the fish in the sea is in that 200 meter stretch? Why can’t they fish just outside the 200m sea area? The sea belongs to all and fish is everywhere.
You have been called the ‘Controversial Bishop’ and recently Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen claimed that you were the ‘cause’ for the clash in Mannar where Muslims attacked the magistrate and the Tamil fishermen in Uppukkulam? What is your explanation?
I am called a controversial Bishop because there are ‘controversial’ issues taking place and when I speak on those issues I turned to be ‘controversial’. If I speak out, I am an ‘outspoken Bishop’. If I care for the poor and fight for justice, I am an anti Sri Lankan, a LTTE or a separatist. So, what am I to do? I care less about these names, but I will keep voicing against injustice and fight against human rights violations.
In Uppukkulam, Tamil fisher folk paid a rent to the Muslims to put up vaadiayas and fish in their area for a couple of years. In 2006, they went to the Fisheries Harbour Corporation and asked permission to fish in their area. It’s just a 200 meter stretch on the beach and the additional director fisheries, and the GA issued a recommendation letter in 2006 giving permission to fish in the requested 200m beach front sea. The beach belongs to the state. Anyone can ask permission and fish but the Uppukulam Muslims did not want them to fish there. They ‘claimed’ it’s their land.
The Muslims complained to Minister Bathiudeen and he went to the district divisional secretary and the GA to tell the Tamil fishermen not to fish there. After a complaint to the police, they were given another place to fish. There too the Muslims of that area chased them. Tamils said they will wait till an area is given for fishing but nothing happened. After staying for some days, unable to starve they went fishing when the clash took place. What the judge said was to give 3 weeks and he will settle them. He was fair in his judgment. You cannot chase people off all of a sudden. And the beach stretch is owned by the state. Why cannot they let them fish there?
The Muslims say their livelihood is ‘threatened’ and less fish because all are fishing in their areas?
Muslims of that area are not fishermen. Most of them are businessmen. They don’t fish in big numbers. They have about six boats, I guess. They are seasonal fishermen looking for sea cucumber. You don’t find sea cucumber throughout the year. Only 200 meter stretch of the beach was used for fishing by the Tamils. Do you mean all the fish in the sea is in that 200 meter stretch? Why can’t they fish just outside the 200m sea area? The sea belongs to all and fish is everywhere.
