Constant Protests by Fishermen

The Fishermen Society organized a chain of five protests. The last protest took place on 20 July 2009 demanding: the removal of government’s taxes: termination of the random digging and burying of beaches and marine traps; compensating the fishermen for the harm inflicted on them and the set up of a governmental fund for supporting the families of fishermen. The Society also organized a strike on 15-22 February 2009 for the same reason. The Secretary-General of the Society Abdulameer Al Mughni threatened to call for a general strike if the Government continued to ignore their demands. On 19 July 2009, MP Haider Al Sitri stated that the House of Representatives has ratified a bill regarding the establishment of a fund for supporting fishermen and that the Government has agreed on it. Sitri regarded the delay in the implementation of the law as unjustifiable and could force the fishermen to go ahead with the strike which will harm the public.