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Sri Lankan Navy nabs 54 Indian fishermen, detains two boats

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By Rathindra Kuruwita

The Sri Lankan Navy has taken into custody 54 Indian fishermen and detained two boats for fishing in the Sri Lankan waters.

Indian officials said on Thursday that the fishermen, hailing from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam, had been picked up by the Sri Lankan Navy near Katchatheevu on Wednesday.

“They were taken to a local naval camp for further inquiry and are likely to be handed over to Lankan Fisheries authorities to be isolated along with the detained boats,” the Indian officials said.

Indian media reported that the Rameswaran fishermen’s association representatives had expressed concern over such repeated instances of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu being nabbed by the Sri Lankan navy and urged the Centre and state government to ensure their early release.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo, issuing a media statement yesterday said it had been informed about the apprehension of the Indian fishermen and five boats by Sri Lanka Navy and asked the government to deal with the Indian fishermen in a humanitarian manner.

“Providing immediate consular access and emergency supplies to apprehended fishermen are of prime importance. We are working with Government of Sri Lanka for expeditiously securing consular access for these fishermen. Bilateral mechanisms are in place to comprehensively address all matters related to fisheries. It may be recalled that the Fourth meeting of the Secretary-level JWG was held on 30 December 2020 through virtual mode. Follow-up measures on the basis of discussions which took place during the meeting need to be taken forward quickly.”

The Sri Lankan Government too had repeatedly called on the Indian Government to monitor and prevent Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters.

State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Freshwater Fish and Shrimp Farming Development, Multiday Fishing and Fish Export Kanchana Wijesekera said last December that Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa discussed the matter with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a virtual summit.

Wijesekera said that Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda had also spoken to Indian officials. “Indian fishermen were taking advantage of the Covid-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka to poach here. “We cannot detain the Indian fishermen once arrested because of the high Covid-19 cases among them. Therefore, we have to release them once arrested.”

 

 



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UNICEF representative’s meet PM

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UNICEF Representative Mr. Christian Skoog,, met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at her office on Friday (01).

The discussion focused on improving child protection and education in Sri Lanka, securing child rights, and creating safe learning environments.

The meeting was attended by Ms. Teona Aslanishvili, Chief of Child Protection, and the Chief of Education from UNICEF.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Fifteen heads of Sri Lanka missions overseas urgently recalled

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urgently recalled 15 ambassadors and high commissioners appointed based on political affiliations to Sri Lanka. According to sources within the ministry, Secretary Aruni Wijewardena has issued this directive.

Among those recalled are Mohan Peiris, a former ambassador who served as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York; Rohitha Bogollagama, a former foreign minister appointed as the High Commissioner to the UK; Kshenuka Senewiratne, a former ambassador appointed as the High Commissioner to India; Chitrangani Wagishwara, appointed as the High Commissioner to Australia; and Rodney Perera, appointed as the ambassador to Japan.

Also recalled are Sumangala Dias, a former Air Force Chief appointed as the High Commissioner to Malaysia; Sudarshan Pathirana, a former Air Force Chief appointed as the ambassador to Nepal; Nishanth Ulugethenna, a former Navy Chief appointed as the ambassador to Cuba; Ravindra Wijegunarathna, a former Navy Chief appointed as the High Commissioner to Pakistan; Uday Indrarathna, appointed as the ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and V. Kanakanadan, appointed as the High Commissioner to Kenya.

A brother-in-law of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Shimal Wickramasinghe, appointed as the High Commissioner to Seychelles; and former Navu chief Admiral Jayanath Colambage, the Lankan Ambassador to Indonesia, along with Ranga Gunawardena, the Lankan High Commissioner to the Maldives, and Mohammad Shahid, appointed as the ambassador to Iran have also been recalled.

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Five-star hotels stop serving pork products

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By Rathindra Kuruwita and Norman Palihawadane

Five-star hotels across the country have stopped serving pork and pork products in light of the ongoing African Swine Fever (ASF) outbreak, hotel sources said on Friday. This decision aligns with a recent government ban on the slaughter, sale, and distribution of pork, following a gazette notification declaring all Divisional Secretary divisions in the country as “infected” or “suspected” areas for ASF and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS).

Hemantha Samarakoon, Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority, warned that there are plans by chicken sellers to increase prices, potentially taking advantage of the pork shortage during the festive season. Chicken prices are already on the rise in local markets.

Leading supermarkets have also ceased selling pork products, adhering to the government directive. Some supermarkets indicated they might still offer products that were produced and stored prior to the October 29 announcement. However, many have fully removed pork from their shelves in response to public health concerns.

The ASF crisis escalated after symptoms similar to PRRS were observed in local pig populations. Dr. KK Sarath, Director of the Western Province Animal Production and Health Department, reported that thousands of pigs have died in recent weeks, with testing confirming the presence of ASF—an illness with nearly a 100% mortality rate.

The disease has now been identified on four farms in the Western Province, with concerns of its spread to Uva, North Central, and North-Western provinces. The local pig farming industry is facing a severe crisis, having lost approximately 5,000 pigs by late October, out of an estimated 70,000 in the Western Province.

The government has prohibited various activities to contain the outbreak, including transporting pigs or pork products, artificial breeding, and improper disposal of infected carcasses. Violators may face legal consequences, including arrest,said Upul Rohana, head of the Public Health Inspectors’ Union.

Dr. Sarath emphasized the urgency of isolating infected animals and warned that in some countries, culling infected pigs is a necessary measure — one that could devastate farmers’ livelihoods without compensation. The once-thriving pork export market is now effectively closed until the situation is brought under control.

Moreover, the potential for wild boars to become infected poses additional risks, as this could lead to viral mutations. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain how ASF entered Sri Lanka, with scrutiny on past incidents of illegal meat imports.

“This outbreak not only jeopardizes public health but also threatens the livelihoods of thousands reliant on pig farming. Urgent action is needed to halt the spread and safeguard both the economy and the agricultural industry,” Dr. Sarath said.

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