Sri Lanka top court hears rights petition against Indian fishermen
The HinduThe Supreme Court in Colombo yesterday had moved that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs be made a respondent in the fundamental rights petition filed against illegal bottom trawling carried out by the south Indian fishermen in the Sri Lanka waters in the north and northeastern seas. Sri Lankan fishermen have asked authorities to prevent Indian fishermen from engaging in illegal bottom trawling in the island nation's territorial waters and to direct the Air Force to prevent incursions by Indian trawlers. Meanwhile, the Center for Environmental Justice filed a petition in December last year along with the affected fishermen from the northern and northeastern regions of Jaffna and Mannar against illegal bottom trawling carried out by the Indian fishermen in the Sri Lanka waters in the north and northeastern seas. The petitioners have sought orders from the court to prevent the Indian fishermen from engaging in illegal fishing in the local territorial waters and to direct the Sri Lanka Air Force to prevent incursions by Indian trawlers into Sri Lankan waters.