Sinhala sea cucumber divers under threat to leave Ampaa'rai
TamilNet, Monday, 31 March 2008, 02:57 GMT
Unidentified armed group of local residents of Kalmunaikkudi, Ampaarai are forcing Sinhala divers who have been in involved in harvesting sea cucumbers (Beche-de-Mer) for the past 19 years, to leave the area, the Union of Divers in Sri Lanka complained in a letter addressed to the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic resources, spokesmen for the Union said.
'Although we have been involved in harvesting sea cucumber in deep seas off Kalmunaikkudy for the past 19 years, some locals have begun harassing us demanding that we leave the area accusing us of using dynamite for fishing.