Rameswaram fishermen begin indefinite hunger strike over arrests by Sri Lankan Navy

Members of various fishermen associations, fishing labourers, and their families launched an indefinite hunger strike at Thangachimadam in Rameswaram on Friday (February 28, 2025).

Members of various fishermen associations, fishing labourers, and their families launched an indefinite hunger strike at Thangachimadam in Rameswaram on Friday (February 28, 2025), condemning the frequent arrests of fishermen and the seizure of their boats by the Sri Lankan Navy.

About 1,000 fishermen and their families from Rameswaram, Pamban, Mandapam, and other areas, participated in the strike.

Jesu Raja, a fishermen leader, said in the year 2024-2025 alone, 82 fishing boats were seized and 107 fishermen from Rameswaram and nearby areas were arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities. “While 38 convicted fishermen are serving their sentences, many others are languishing in Sri Lankan prisons,” he added.

In the past 11 years, more than 500 boats — both mechanised and country — were captured by the Sri Lankan Navy, and no efforts were made by the Indian government to recover even one of them, Mr. Raja alleged.

The fishing community, which plays a major role in India’s foreign trade, is not given any protection or assurance of security by the governments, he said.

“In over 47 years, the tussle over determining the international maritime boundary line (IMBL) between India and Sri Lanka has cost many lives. To stop this, a peace talk should be convened between the two governments to arrive at a solution,” he said.

Rayappan, leader of a country boat fishermen association, said all those who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy were innocent. “The earnings from the fishing business would be just a few thousands, but for that mere amount, we must put our lives at risk and languish in prisons for years,” he added.