Two Leaders of Negombo Lagoon Protection campaign, Aruna Roshantha and marcus Fernando who fought against the Sea Plane project was arrested due to education of the general pubic through distributing a leaflet appealing support for the struggle last November 28th. The court proceedings were held yesterday at Negombo Magistrate court. Somasiri Liyanage, the HQI of Negombo Police submitted a verbal and written submissions which are utter lie on verbal ones. He informed the magistrate that the two leaders had organized a mass protest on 17th November which disturbed the general public, blocked the Negombo-Colombo high way, Harassed people, burnt tyres, destroyed public properties etc. etc which were not happened at the protest at Katunayake. Also, Somasiri Liyanage said that the distribution of leaflets he observed as a measure of provocking the public and he took necessary steps to maintain the Law and Order with arresting two accused preventing further actions.
With the fisher people's continuous and committed struggle, the government authorities had to shifted the Sea Plane project to some other area at Dalatura canal close to Dandugam Oya.
Finally, magistrate decided to continue the case while postponing the next hearing on 11 July 2011.
We have serious questions to be asked from General Public who attended the November 17th Struggle at Katunayake.
1. Was there any destruction of public property at Katunayake junction at the Sea Plane protest?
2. Have we harassed any public with our own when we organize the protest at Katunayake?
3. Wasn't there any decent agitations carried out by the people who came to the protest?
We need answers for these. Now, we have won the struggle. Sea Planes are no more at Katunayake. But, the people who attended to lead the struggle need to continue to go to the courts.
Herman Kumara,
29 March 2011
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