Fearing reprisal attacks from the Sri Lankan Navy, fishermen in Tamil Nadu have called on protesters to refrain from targeting Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu.

The Fishermen association in Rameshwaram condemned the attacks, saying that it would lead to further attacks from the Sri Lankan Navy, as has happened previously.

"The fishermen are worried and we believe that they will not venture farther due to these issues," said N Devadoss of Tamil Nadu Fishermen Welfare Association. He went on to say, "we strongly condemn the attacks on pilgrims and tourists from Sri Lanka and hurting them is wrong. The state and Centre should take stringent measures against these outfits."

Highlighting that many of those 'Sri Lankan nationals' who were targetted by protesters were Sinhala speaking Tamils, Devadoss said,

"the Tamil outfits, which want to take political mileage should have thought as to how Buddhist Sinhalese people will come to churches here and must have verified the facts thoroughly."

The JHU, partner of Mahinda Rajapakse’s SLFP, have called for the ban on animal sacrifices at religious events.

The party, made up of Buddhist monks, said it is preparing a draft document on the proposed ban on rituals, conducted by some Tamils on the island.

The appeals of Tamil Nadu fishermen associations to stop all protests against Sri Lankans for fear of reprisal attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy is a tragic reflection of their terrorised plight and the Indian government's impotence on the issue.

What should have been a demand on the Indian government to fulfil its responsibility and guarantee the safety of its civilians against the Sri Lankan navy, has instead been usurped by sheer terror.

Of course this fear is a very real one - attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen have no doubt escalated in response to anti-Sri Lankan activism by Tamils in Tamil Nadu. Indeed the very next day, five Tamil Nadu fishermen were reported to have been attacked by the Sri Lankan Navy. However, what must be made clear is that the attacks were one of the precursors to the recent anti-Sri Lankan protests, not the after effects.

Indian business people fear that the Sri Lankan government's travel advisory warning to its citizens against travelling to Tamil Nadu will impact advsersely on trade.  

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, is to visit Sri Lanka and the North-East next week. Arriving on the 14th September, Pillay will off 'advice and techinical assistance', reported the Daily Mirror.

Writing in the Kindlemag, Meena Kandasamy interviews a Tamil journalist who reported from Vanni during 2009. Lokeesan was the Vanni correspondent for TamilNet during that time, and is currently living in exile.

After severe criticism from Tamil Nadu's major parties and protests in the state, the BJP hastily distanced itself from allegations that the party was behind Mahinda Rajapakse's planned visit to a Buddhist event in Madhya Pradesh, pushing the blame onto Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

A convoy of buses carrying 178 fleeing Sri Lankans was pelted by sticks and stones near Kattur in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday. The Sri Lankans, who were on their way to Tiruchirapalli airport to fly back home to Colombo, experienced similar protest action whilst visiting a Christian shrine in Velankanni earlier that morning, and whilst visiting a Poondi Madha Christian shrine in Thanjavur the day before.

In a written submission to the up-coming, 21st session of the UN Human Rights Council, Amnesty International detailed the 'shortcomings in Sri Lanka's National Plan of Action to implement the recommendations of the LLRC'.

The report, entitled 'No Real Will to Account', argued that the lack of accountability had ensured a "climate of impunity where arbitrary detentions, torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearances, and custodial killings continue unchecked."

"More than three years after the armed conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ended, these violations continue to be reported."

See here for full statement.

Responding to Sri Lanka's travel advisory warning against travelling to Tamil Nadu, the spokesperson of India's External Affairs Ministry assured Sri Lanka of the safety of any visiting Sri Lankans.

Sri Lankan Minister Wimal Weerawansa warned of a 'possible catastrophic situation that would seriously harm the interests of both countries' if the protest acts on Sri Lankans in India continued, repor

"It is not acceptable to us that he, who is responsible for the killing of lakhs of Tamils, is accorded a special welcome," Karunanidhi said.

The Sri Lankan government has warned its citizens against all travel to Tamil Nadu after several protests against Sri Lankan citizens were held in the state.