Eroding criminal justice system of Sri Lanka
(Lanka-e-News-23.April.2012, 11.50PM) After the Rajapakse regime came into power the criminal justice system is in a sorry state in Sri Lanka. The crime rate is going up sharply without police action and proper prosecution. Political interference has caused to prevent police investigations or leading a casual approach to desperate investigations has led criminals to indulge in more crimes than usual. Due to political interference instead of enforcing the law the police are trying to undermine the crime and protect crimina0ls which are signs of a fail state.

If the regime wants to commit an unlawful act of abducting anybody it is done by the use of the presidential security division (PSD) using the white van. Much abduction is committed by the white van using the PTA (prevention of terrorism act). If the regime wants to undermine a criminal activity it intimidates the magistrate to hand over the investigation to the CID to purposely delay the charge sheet, the proceedings where the complainer cannot question the CID for any break through. Despite inquiring into the most essentials the CID inquire irrelevant matters from the defendant not pertaining to the case diverting attention and fabricating false charges against the defendant leaving the accused. Further the CID purposely delays to file a case and bring charges against the accused for prosecution.

When the regime wants to discharge a case it hands over the investigation to the CID. Due to political pressure the CID start to treat the prosecutor as the accused and interrogate him accusing him for the crime and asking him to provide excessive evidence. The CID repeatedly interrogates and harasses the defendant asking him to confirm that he is the accused or otherwise he is charged for false accusation until the defendant withdraws the case. This is worst situation where the general public has lost faith in the policing system of Sri Lanka. Despite the police/CID helping the victims the police start to go behind the prosecutor or the witness by excessive interrogation leaving out the criminal. Instead of investigating the case and taking the criminal into custody the CID interrogates the complainer accusing him for false complain inducing to withdraw the case. Court jurisdictions are fixed by influencing the judges by promoting him or offering foreign trips. Due to the fact that crimes are dealt unpunished the crime rate has risen sharply and the criminals to go up in numbers thus not having a fear of committing a crime and being prosecuted and confident of getting released.

People including witnesses are reluctant to lodge complain or interfere them in the police anticipate they will be interrogated arbitrarily with out a reason and fabricate charges. Honest officers in the police force too are reluctant to carry on their duties fearing they will be arbitrarily taken into custody. A similar incident took place taking into custody of the five police officers who lawfully carried out their duty when they did the night patrol at the Ranagala estate trailing behind two PSD vehicles who came to dig treasures.

Abducting and shooting of witnesses under police custody from the court precinct, dying of suspects under remand custody, abduction of a citizen who filed a fundamental rights petition, arbitrary detention under the PTA without trial, preventing or delaying the police/CID of criminal investigations, fixing supreme court judgments, withdrawing criminal charges against politicians by the attorney general are some of the worst human violations carried out by this regime.

No where in the history of Sri Lanka that the rule of law has descent to such low level. The political stooges in the parliament always point the finger at previous regimes that started underworld and interference into judiciary. But the answer to those political stooges is those past errors does not justify the present regime should continue this. It is not strange to witness in a country like this the retribution of frequent lightening struck which has caused innocent lives of people of this country is for the sin committed by the regime.

If a countries basic criminal justice system is at stake and unjust is ruling the people have no choice and alternative to take the law into their hands and prosecute the criminals. From the police constable to the seniors, magistrate to the attorney general, high court to the Supreme Court judges, from the pradeshiya sabha (local body) to the ministers have become political stooges of the regime. The country is plunging into an abysmal state ruled by state terrorism. Allowing and observing social injustice such as above is an impiety committed to the country we are born. How long the Rajapakse regime can commit these unlawful acts and continue this sin with impunity?

Whoever stooges who witness this social injustice and remain silence fearing losing benefits are capable of selling their own mother to gain any low advantage at any cost to remain in power and whoever stooges speaks in favor of this regime deserves to be shot by bullets made out of shit and excrete in mouth.

UN chief on Indo-Pak ties, Agni 5, Lanka row

Terming as "very positive" and "encouraging" the recent efforts by India [ Images ] and Pakistan to normalise their relations, United Nations chief Ban Ki Moon [ Images ] on Tuesday expressed hope that the two neighbours will continue the dialogue process and play a greater role for peace, security and harmony in the region.

"India and Pakistan are very important countries not only in the region but in world politics. They both have a great role to play for peace, security and harmony in the region," Ban said.

The UN chief, who will leave for a three-day visit to India on Wednesday, welcomed the "very positive movement" between the two countries to improve trade ties.

Ban was also appreciative of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's [ Images ] private visit to India earlier in March and his meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [ Images ].

"I welcome the recent movement, very positive movement between the two countries, the exchange (between) the leadership and engaging in addressing all pending issues through dialogue at the highest level. This is quite encouraging," Ban said.

"I hope such dialogue will continue to first of all improve the bilateral relations and contribute further to regional and international peace and security," he added.

The peace process between India and Pakistan was resumed last year after a gap of two years in the aftermath of the terror attacks in Mumbai [ Images ] in 2008.

Addressing the issue of terrorism, Ban said the whole world has been struggling to fight against international terrorism.

India is "no exception" since the country has been targetted by terrorists, he added.

Ban, however, welcomed the "very strong commitment" and "determined will" shown by the Indian government to fight terrorism and also support the United Nations' global strategy against terrorism.

The strategy provides a broad framework on how the international community can work together at the national, regional and international level to combat terrorism, Ban said, adding that addressing the problem of terrorism and protecting human lives should be given "first and foremost consideration" by nations.

On India's successful test-fire of the Agni 5 missile last week, Ban said he has "taken note" of the reactions and concerns raised by countries in the region, including China, over the missile launch.
Ban pointed out that there are relevant UNSC resolutions on missiles and use of nuclear weapons.

"I would encourage India to pursue bilateral and multilateral dialogues with nuclear weapon possessing states in a non-discriminatory and a transparent manner. This threat posed by the nuclear issues should be discussed very closely with nuclear weapons states. These are very important issues," he said.

Responding to a question on the 2014 troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, Ban said while some countries have "accelerated the pace" to pull back from the war-torn country, due attention and political policy consideration is required to ensure that transfer of the security responsibility to the Afghans is accompanied with Afghan national security forces being strengthened in their capacity to address their own security.

"The security and development agenda should be promoted hand in hand," he said.

Ban also noted that as the foreign troops prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan, it is important that there should be some reconciliation among the different ethnic groups in
Afghanistan.

"These groups should fully cooperate and reconcile. In this regard, the UN has been trying to support and facilitate the Afghan government's dialogue with the Taliban [ Images ] for the reconciliation process," he said.

Ban acknowledged that recent multiple attacks across the country by Taliban forces may have had a "negative impact" on the reconciliation process, but the international community should fully support Afghanistan's positions to have security and development agenda in place.

Talking about the UN Human Rights Council resolution, which called on Sri Lanka [ Images ] to probe allegations of war crimes committed during the decades-long conflict with Tamil rebels, Ban said it is important to ensure that there is accountability and the process of addressing the rights violations is "very transparent."

"In addressing all these issues, the human rights and humanitarian concerns, human lives should be given the first and foremost priority," Ban said.

The UN chief said he has been urging the Sri Lankan leadership to take all necessary measures to ensure human rights are protected and promoted.

"It is the right time for President Mahinda Rajapaksa [ Images ] to address the issues in a speedy and judicious manner," Ban said.

Civilians 'bear the brunt' of war: Arbour

By Bob Mackin April 23, 2012

The Canadian who formerly headed the United Nations Human Rights Commission said the biggest trend in warfare over the last two decades has been the rise of civilian casualties.

"We seem to be ever more prepared to go to war to protect civilians, while civilians, not soldiers are increasingly the largest victims in combat," Louise Arbour, CEO of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, told the Vancouver Board of Trade on April 23.

"Death, suffering, disease, malnutrition, profound deprivation in all places tend to be inflicted disproportionately on civilians," said Arbour. "Civilians, rather than military, increasingly bear the brunt of much of today's political and criminal violence."

The 1995-founded ICG is a nongovernmental organization that analyzes and advises governments and intergovernmental bodies on preventing and resolving deadly conflict. Arbour joined in 2009 after four years with the UN. She was previously a Supreme Court of Canada judge and chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

War, Arbour said, was once a "soldier-to-soldier affair." Despite the post-Second World War enactment of the 4th Geneva Convention, civilians have become bigger targets. She pointed to Syria's repression of protesters, Taliban attacks on civilians in Afghanistan and the 40,000 Tamils slaughtered on the beaches of Sri Lanka in 2009.

The Iraq Body Count project website said 106,342 to 116,710 civilian deaths had been documented in Iraq from March 2003 to April 2012. ICasualties.org said there have been 4,486 coalition military deaths over nine years.

Civilians are under increasing risk as militaries seek to reduce the number of soldiers in harm's way through technology, like drones, which were originally used for surveillance.

"The ability to target one's enemy without risking the lives of one's soldiers obviously holds enormous attraction," Arbour said. "But the use of drones for targeted assassination poses major political, strategic and I believe important legal challenges."

Arbour said she is distressed by the secrecy surrounding such operations in isolated, inaccessible areas, making it "virtually impossible" to determine whether the weapons' use complies with the rules of war that require targeting of a proper military installation and minimizing damage to civilians.

Arbour was introduced at the event by Frank Giustra, the West Vancouver mining tycoon whose philanthropic alliance with ex-U.S. president Bill Clinton led to major investments in Kazakh uranium mines. The head table included Ret.-Gen. Wesley Clark, an ICG trustee who commanded NATO's European forces and mounted an unsuccessful bid for the Democratic Party nomination in 2004.

Vancouver-based reporter Bob Mackin is a frequent contributor to The Tyee.

Another ‘Kekille’ judge emerges in Colombo Magistrate court

Raid on T20 garden possible since DIG Senanayake had gone on leave

(Lanka-e-News-23.April.2012, 11.50PM) It was revealed in the Colombo Magistrate court today , that the police officers who conducted the raid on the 21st dawn on the Wanathamulla T20 ‘garden’ were in a drunken state. This was disclosed to the Magistrate by the lawyer who appeared on behalf of the suspects. The additional Magistrate Ms. Praharsha Ranasinghe made a strange and ludicrous comment to the Lawyers appearing for the suspects in this regard: she said , if the police officers have been drunk , the complaint should be made to the superior police officers. If that is the case , in future , courts are unnecessary in this country. If a judge says , when a complaint is made to him/her of a wrongdoing, that it shall be directed to the higher police officers , it means then the powers of the courts had been transferred to the police by the court itself. In other words , according to the Magistrate , the lawyers must address their case to the Police and seek justice from them. Perhaps , Ms. Praharsha Ranasinghe had learnt this legal procedure and practice not from the law College but from Kekille law Vidyalaya . Of the 23 suspects who were produced before the Magistrate today (23),except two suspects all others were released on personal bail, and the case was postponed to 16th July . Meanwhile the relatives of the suspects were also to file action today at the Human rights Commission against the police arrests. While there is no emergency regulations in force, this laying of siege to the T 21 garden , videotaping the residents after lining them up and arresting them had raised serious issues as to the police propriety . Another side to this issue had been reported to Lanka e news . why DIG Senanayake did not take any action hitherto in regard to the alleged criminal activities that had been carried on in this Garden. It is learnt that the DIG had been receiving bribes from the kassippu , heroin and ganja (cannabis) dealers in the ‘gardens’ in Colombo , and therefore allowed them to engage in those unlawful businesses. According to sources , DIG Senanayake is receiving around Rs. 25 lakhs monthly from the Colombo underworld leaders for permitting them to carry on their illicit dealings. Owing to this underhand understanding between the DIG Senanayake and underworld leaders /drug peddlers , this raid had been conducted when he was on leave , and on the orders of DIG S.A.D. Gunawardena. Later Anura Senanayake had questioned DIG Gunawardena , why the former was not informed of this raid. Gunawardena had replied that , since Senanayake was on leave they did not wish to disturb his holiday when the raid was being conducted. In any event , police sources say because of this raid , they were able to apprehend a most wanted drug dealer, Kushman. This garden comes under the purview of the Borella police whose OIC is Inspector Anurudha Bandaranaike. He had joined the police force as a grama security officer. But being a political stooge he had got himself elevated to the high position via sordid and unscrupulous activities so characteristic of political lackeys. Hence he has no skills or training in techniques to curb crimes. Sadly,it is because of such police officers occupying top positions in the police that the crime wave in the country had gone out of control.

Hakeem might quit the government

The Muslim Congress it is learnt has decided to quit the government if the president fails to take the required measures to address the incident that took place in the Dambulla Muslim mosque and the instigation that took place prior to the attack on the mosque. The Muslim Congress has received credible information that the attack had been initiated by Ven. Inamaluwe Sumangala Thero and liquor businessman, parliamentarian Lakshman Perera.

A senior member of the party said that party leader and Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem was scheduled to meet with Lands Minister Janaka Bandara Tennekoon this afternoon to discuss the clash in detail.

Although Tennekoon is a UPFA MP representing the Matale District and the leader of the district, it was another electoral organizer, MP Lakshman Wasantha Perera who initiated the attack.

Lak FM owned by Perera and Ven. Sumangala Thero’s Rangiri Dambulu Radio have been carrying out a campaign against Muslims in the past few days.

Ven. Sumangala Thero has also made public comments that Minister Tennekoon had taken monies from Muslim businessmen and given land in Dambulla to them. Tennekoon responded to the allegations saying he would initiate legal action against the Thero for making the baseless allegations against him.

The Muslim members in the government are in a tight spot over the attack on the Muslim mosque. Minister A.H.M. Fowzie has already condemned the attack.

Muslim members in the government and Muslim religious leaders played a key role in getting the support of Muslim countries for Sri Lanka at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva last month.

groundview journalism For citizens 

Bigoted monks and militant mobs: Is this Buddhism in Sri Lanka today?

Frame grab from News 1st TV broadcast

As noted by Raashid Riza, the Multimedia Editor of The Platform,

Last Friday a mob of about 2,000 Sinhalese, led by a group of Buddhist monks, stormed into a mosque in the historical city of Dambulla. They caused disturbances so severe that Friday prayers had to be cancelled. Reports suggest that the mosque had been hurled at with petrol bombs the night before, causing minor damage, and security forces were deployed to control the situation. The targeting of the Muslim community was instigated by a group of racist Sinhalese individuals, consisting largely of hooligans, who were motivated by the uproar and attention such an act would create, rather than by any identifiable ideology.

News channels have since broadcast footage from the incident. It is extremely disturbing, and warrants attention. Since the content is in Sinhala, we offer rough translations of the most disquieting sentiments.

00:47: Buddhist monk in orange robe: “The Divisional Secretary promised that on Monday, which is to say in two days, there will be a meeting at 3pm to take a decision on this matter.”

Continue reading »

Sri Lanka Muslims decry radical Buddhist mosque attack

Buddhist monks spearheaded last week's violence

The main umbrella group of Sri Lankan Muslims says radical Buddhists are trying to damage peaceful co-existence between the country's main ethnic communities.

The statement came three days after hardline Buddhists tried to storm a mosque, after which the government said it would be demolished and relocated.

Buddhists in the central town of Dambulla have defended their actions.

But the issue has provoked anger among some prominent Muslims.

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka said it was "deeply concerned" at the attempted destruction of the mosque in Dambulla last Friday.

It said the building was lawfully registered and was 50 years old.

The council said that radical Buddhist elements - against the will of the majority - were consistently undermining ethnic co-existence. It called on leaders of Sri Lanka's majority Buddhist faith to re-establish good ties.

Mohamed Saleemdeen, a board member of the mosque, denied it was an illegal building.

He told the AP news agency that it had been there long before the area was declared a sacred zone about 20 years ago.

But prominent monks in Dambulla say the mosque is illegally built on ground sacred to their religion.

On Friday the building was fire-bombed.

Video of monks and other hardliners trying to storm it later showed one monk addressing the crowd in overtly racial terms, saying the campaign against the Muslim building was a victory for "those who love the race, have Sinhalese blood and are Buddhists".

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says that a monk was seen exposing himself against the mosque as an insult.

'Safeguarding Buddhism'

Buddhist leaders in Dambulla say they now intend to demolish 72 structures in the sacred area that they say are unauthorised, including the mosque and a Tamil Hindu temple.

A Dambulla monk told the BBC that the actions were necessary because Sri Lanka was "the only country to safeguard Buddhism".

He said that if encroachments continued there would be no Buddhist land left.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is overseas but senior Muslim politicians from his government have condemned the official decision to demolish the mosque.

While most of Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority are Buddhists, Muslims are regarded as the third ethnic group, after the mainly Hindu Tamils.

There have been appeals for calm, including from a Sri Lankan Muslim blogger who said it would be irresponsible for Muslims to respond to current events in a "reactionary" way.

SRI LANKA: AFAD condemns harassments of disappeared journalist wife Sandya Ekneligoda by Sri Lankan official

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AHRC-FST-026-2012
23 April, 2012

A Statement from Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances forwarded the Asian Human Rights Commission

The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD) condemns the harassment and intimidation of human rights defender Mrs. Sandya Ekneligoda by Sri Lankan government supporter Mr. Douglas Wickramaratne during the side event organized during the 19th sessions on the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and the statements by Deputy Solicitor General Mr. Shavinra Fernando during the Homagama Magistrate Courts (Colombo district) hearing.

“The treatment of Mr. Wickramaratne and Deputy Solicitor General Mr. Fernando to Ms. Sandya Eknaligoda’s participation in searching for the truth behind the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda and search for justice in behalf of the other victims of enforced disappearance  is an insult not only to the victim Prageeth but also to the cause that Sandya is campaigning for – justice for the victims of enforced disappearance and the complete elimination of the practice of enforced disappearance.” said Mary Aileen Bacalso, Secretary General of the Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD).

On 19 March 2012, Mr. Wickramaratne reportedly mocked Mrs. Ekneligoda, stating that she came to Geneva with a smiling face and therefore is not a victim. Accusations were also thrown by another group identifying themselves as Sri Lankan Muslims, mocking that Mrs. Ekneligoda is manipulated by funds from different organizations.

The incident involving Deputy Solicitor General Fernando occurred on 26 March 2012 wherein Mrs. Ekneligoda attended a hearing for an inquiry of a plea to summon former Attorney General and current Advisor to the Cabinet of Ministers Mr. Mohan Peiris, for a statement he issued to the UN Committee against Torture on 9 November 2011 claiming that Prageeth Ekneligoda did not disappear but was residing out of the country.

The line of questioning addressed to Mrs. Ekneligoda ranged from inquiring of her participation in the UN HRC sessions, sources of her travel funds and the disclosure of organizations supporting her travel and accommodation in Geneva, to the nature of how Mrs. Ekneligoda reacted when her husband went missing.

“The struggle against enforced disappearance should enable the families of the disappeared to reach a state of empowerment wherein they can generate the strength to continue the fight for justice. Sandya is an epitome of a victim empowered, a woman able to lead the search for the disappeared and demand for truth and justice without fear.” Bacalso furthered.

Mrs. Ekneligoda was among the panel of speakers in the side event with the theme, “Rule of Law and human rights violations in Sri Lanka: Perspectives from women, minorities and families of disappeared” during the 19th sessions of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Another woman human rights defender, Ms. Farah Mihlar, also spoke at the same event and was subsequently harassed by the delegates of the Government of Sri Lanka.

AFAD reiterates the call for the Rajapaksa administration to sincerely launch investigations on reports of disappearances committed during the war between the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTED), the disappearances of media workers, human rights defenders and other civilians. A transparent, fair, impartial and expeditious investigation should be pursued to determine the fate and whereabouts of the victims and bring to justice the perpetrators of the inhumane act.

“The intimidation experienced by Sandya is a clear manifestation of how the Sri Lankan government responds to the issue of enforced disappearance. It belittles victims of disappearances and their struggle to find out what truly happened to their missing loved ones,” Bacalso noted.  

As of this writing,  the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances is convening an Experts’ Conference on Gender and Enforced Disappearances in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  The violation against the person of Sandya is in fact a manifestation of the relevance of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances’ General Comment on Gender Equality and Enforced Disappearances being discussed in this conference, providing among others, that “ the State must employ measures to combat retaliation and social stigmatization of women for their activism in response to enforced disappearances,” Bacalso concluded.”

Document Type :

Forwarded Statement

Document ID :

AHRC-FST-026-2012

Countries :

Sri Lanka

Issues :

Enforced disappearances and abductions

“White vans will come if you join Mervyn”

Monday, 23 April 2012

The UPFA members in the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha have been faced with a difficult situation due to the double standards adopted by the Rajapaksa government with regard to Minister Mervyn Silva, a UPFA member from the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha told Lanka News Web.

He said that while President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister Basil Rajapaksa have asked the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha members to work with Mervyn, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has threatened to send white vans after them if they joined Mervyn.

He noted that the governing party members of the Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha have met at Chairman Prasanna Ranaweera’s residence last Saturday night to discuss this situation and it has been decided that the governing party members would resign from the SLFP and sit as independent members if they are continued to be place under pressure by senior government members.

Meanwhile, Pradeshiya Sabha member Hasitha Madawela who played a key role in the clash with Mervyn has been invited by the UNP to join the party.

He has reportedly said that he would join along with 10 other members if he would be made the party’s Kelaniya organizer.

Sri Lanka: Reading between the lines on Indian delegation to Colombo 

By Col. R. Hariharan

There are both positives and negatives in the reports on the Indian parliamentary delegation’s six-day visit to Colombo. The reports include a statement of Mrs Sushma Swaraj, the multi-party delegation leader issued at the end of the visit, as well as inputs on the press conference she addressed in Colombo.

But what was left unsaid can be read between the lines in these reports. These are equally important to gain a balanced perspective on issues that impact India-Sri Lanka relations.

Despite the polemics generated in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka after the two major Dravidian parties boycotted the delegation, the delegation appears to have done a fairly good job bringing back the focus on the post-war issues critical for the growth and sustenance of India’s friendly relations with Sri Lanka. In this respect, this delegation defied Ms Jayalalithaa’s description as a “mere eye wash”.

In fact it has done a more creditable job than the Kanimozhi led-delegation of Tamil Nadu MPs (belonging to DMK, Congress and Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi) which visited Sri Lanka (October-2009) on “a fact-finding mission” that came out as a botched-up political PR job. Mrs Sushma Swaraj, experienced leader of the opposition in parliament from the BJP, ably led the delegation and had a clear agenda focusing on current issues bugging India-Sri Lanka relations. The BJP has been sympathetic to the plight of Sri Lankan Tamils and wanted India to take a strong stand on some of the basic issues. The Congress members, known individually for their clarity on Sri Lanka issue, probably had a competitive interest in performing better than the BJP. All these things have contributed to the delegation’s performance.

President Rajapaksa’s assurance on 13th amendment        Full Story>>>

Channel 4's "War Crimes Unpunished" to be screened at the Canadian Parliament

"War Crimes Unpunished", Channel 4's sequel to 'Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields', will be screened at the Canadian Parliament for the first time on Tuesday, April 24th, 2012 at 7:00pm.

Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) urges all MPs and Senators to attend this very important screening, sponsored by Liberal Party MP Judy Sgro, Conservative Party MP Patrick Brown and NDP MP Prof. Craig Scot.

CTC calls on Tamil Canadians to contact their elected member of Canadian parliament urging them to attend this important documentary screening for our community.

Published on: 04/23/12 06:39

Sri Lankan minister threatens protest in India

Monday, Apr 23, 2012  Agency: PTI

A Sri Lankan minister has threatened to take some 5,000 fishermen to India to protest against poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters.

Government Minister Douglas Devananda said he will lead the protest to give a message to India that livelihood of the country's fishermen is affected due to poaching by Indian fishermen.

"The Indians enter Sri Lankan waters illegally in large trawlers and engage in large scale fishing. This not only affects the livelihood of Sri Lankan fishermen in the north but it also has an impact on our fishing resources. To stop this we have decided to launch a protest," Devananda said in a statement.

Indian and Sri Lankan fishing associations have been meeting frequently to address the issue but Devananda said a concrete solution has not yet been reached.

He noted that Indian fishermen continue to enter Sri Lankan waters illegally to catch fish and so he has decided to take some 1,000 boats and 5,000 fishermen by sea to Rameshwaram in India to press the government there to stop the practice, Xinhua reported.

However, Sunday's statement did not mention a date as to when the protest will be carried out.

The Sri Lankan minister also noted that having meetings between fishermen from both countries to address this issue will not suffice and instead both Indian and Sri Lankan governments must also have direct talks on the issue.

The minister had also recently called for joint patrolling between India and Sri Lanka along the international maritime boundary line of both countries.

Indian fishermen often accuse the Sri Lankan Navy of attacking them when they catch fish near the boundary line or in Sri Lankan waters.