The Vanni is currently staging a major protest demanding solutions to a shortage of kerosene oil and other problems faced by its fisher community.
Launched by the Mullaitivu Fishermen’s Association on August 16, it is being attended by more than 1,000 people.
Loading their fishing boats into tractors, they came in procession from the Mullaitivu town to the district secretariat to demand authorities grant them a sufficient supply of kerosene oil.
The protestors also asked that poaching by Indian fishermen in northern waters be halted and illegal fishing practices too, should be ended.
The fishermen also wanted compensation from the government for the loss of their livelihood for more than three months.
They handed over a petition detailing their demands to the additional district secretaries K. Kanageshwaran and S. Gunapalan, with copies asked to be referred to the president, prime minister and the ministers of fisheries and energy.
The two officials said they would take speedy steps with regard to their demands.
