Sri Lanka booby-traps maritime border with India

Breaking international conventions, Sri Lankan Navy has planted mines along the maritime border with India, a move that could prove to be fatal to Tamil Nadu fishermen, official sources said.

According to a fax message received by the naval office at Rameswaram from their Sri Lankan counterparts, mines had been planted between Nedunthivu and Kachathivu to prevent rebels of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from crossing to Indian territorial waters.

The movement of LTTE was increasingly noticed in that area, the message said.

The Navy officials have also been asked to warn Indian fishermen against crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line. A copy of the message has been forwarded to Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, the sources said.

Officials said this was against international maritime rules and could only prove to be fatal for fishermen. Many fishermen could not identify the IMBL and distinguish between Indian and Sri Lankan waters.

Meanwhile, fishermen groups said the LTTE had all the latest gadgets to detect and escape the mines, and that the mines would only hurt them. Alleging that the move was to prevent Indian fishermen from entering Sri Lankan waters, they asked the Coast Guard and Navy officials to take appropriate steps to get the mines removed.