Indian fishers urge the Centre to release SL fishermen

11 June 2014 05:36 am

Although the fishermen in India has called for an indefinite strike demanding the release of its counterparts, fisherfolk in Rameswaram have urged the Centre and State to release Sri Lankan fishermen detained by India for trespassing into their waters.

Between April and June of this year, 95 Sri Lankan fishermen and their 17 boats were apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard and were locked up prisons. Among them, Tamil Nadu released 13 fishermen and two boats few days ago. However, 11 more Sri Lankans were apprehended on Saturday off Chennai coast and there are 82 fishermen and 15 boats in Indian custody at present.

“Sri Lankan fishermen - both Tamil and Sinhalese - are from regions like Jaffna, Silavam, Trincomalee, Colombo, Matharai and Nigambo, They are usually booked under the Passport Act and held in various prisons across the country,” U. Arulanandam of Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF) said.

B. Jesuraja, district secretary of Tamil Nadu Mechanised Boat Fishermen said the Indian side should reciprocate Sri Lanka's goodwill gesture by releasing their fishermen. "Like Sri Lanka releasing our fishermen, our country too should release their fishermen. In fact, Sri Lanka releases our fishermen within a short period than our country," he pointed out.

Arockiam, a fishermen in Rameswaram said "The families of detained Lankan fishermen will be equally worried and deprived of livelihood much like us when we are in their custody," (Times of India)