Indian fishermen strike against Sri Lankan Navy arrests

Madurei, March 23 (The Hindu) - The fishermen associations in the coastal Ramanathapuram district have announced an indefinite strike with immediate effect condemning the Sri Lankan Navy of arresting the fishermen from Tamil Nadu under ‘false charges’ on Friday.

An emergency meeting was convened in view of the arrest of 32 fishermen from Rameswaram and Thangachimadam on (Thursday) March 21 by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel in Neduntheevu and at Mannar in Palk Straits. All the 32 men were remanded in judicial custody. Five trawlers were also impounded by the Lankan authorities.

Under these circumstances, the fishermen associations met here and discussed the issues.

Many members at the meeting blamed the Union government for not effectively handling the situation. “If the Prime Minister or External Affairs Minister had held talks, the Sri Lankan government would have positively responded and obliged the Indian PM,.” one of them said.

The continued arrests, which had crossed over 150 since January and about 30 trawlers being impounded since then, had not only pushed the fishermen to a sense of insecurity, but also led to psychological and mental agony. Above all, the families were in doldrums as the breadwinner (fishermen) languished in the jails for over a month or so.

Very recently, the Sri Lankan courts had given sentences of six months to 2 years for fishermen under charges of repeating the offence. “Why is that the fishermen are being targeted again and again,” they questioned and said that they would give up the jobs and look for alternatives.

The meeting resolved to indefinitely boycott fishing activities on the Palk Straits with immediate effect.

The meeting also passed a resolution to boycott the ensuing Lok Sabha polls scheduled to be held on April 19. “When the elected representatives have not kept their promises, why should we support them or cast our votes to them now... The political parties and candidates are interested only in seeking votes. We will reject and not cooperate,” a representative said.

The fisher community would surrender their ID cards such as Aadhaar, EPIC (electors photo identity card) and other documents with the Tahsildar in Rameswaram on April 8, the meeting resolved.The members said they would reconsider their decisions only when the fishermen jailed in Sri Lanka were released unconditionally. Also, the Indian government should give them an assurance that there would not be any arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel under false charges of poaching, they added.

Speaking to The Hindu, fishermen leader P Jesu Raja said last month, a delegation from Rameswaram met Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi. “Though the Minister promised help, nothing tangible had worked for us so far. In reality, the assault by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel against us had intensified. Our boat drivers are apprehensive of more attacks on false charges and imprisonment. Hence, it has been decided to stay away from fishing,” he added.