Fishermen delegation meets Union Minister, seeks Centre’s intervention on arrests by Sri Lanka
The Hindu
Fishermen from Ramanathapuram seek Centre's help to address arrests by Sri Lankan Navy, meeting External Affairs Minister in Delhi.
Seeking the Centre’s support in finding a permanent solution to the continued arrests of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel along the Palk Bay area, a fishermen delegation from Ramanathapuram met Union External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Monday.
Speaking to The Hindu, fishermen leader P Jesu Raja, who was part of the delegation, said that they apprised the External Affairs Minister of the present situation in the presence of Union Minister L. Murugan.
The fishermen said that they were being detained on ‘false’ charges of poaching by the Navy personnel and jailed. In the recent times, the Sri Lankan government had awarded jail terms of six months for boatman and one/two year imprisonment for fishermen for repeating offence.
Such a “treatment” has created panic among the fishermen and the survival had become a big question mark. Hence, they had decided not to venture into the sea until they got an assurance.
“The only solution will be to hold a dialogue with the Sri Lankan government by the Centre...” they appealed.
The External Affairs Minister was also briefed about the number of trawlers being impounded by the Sri Lankan authorities. Since 2018, a little over 150 mechanised boats, which were impounded, had not been returned. As a result, they were lying abandoned in their docks.
“Only when the boats were retrieved, the fishermen can venture into the sea and repay their debts,” Mr Jesu Raja said.
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