Ranil drew wrong marine, fishermen parallel: India

8 March 2015 03:56 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 13 Bookmark

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has told Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe that the issue of Indian fishermen intruding into Lankan waters should not be seen legally but from a humanitarian perspective.

Taking up the explosive issue at her luncheon meeting with Wickremesinghe here on Saturday, Swaraj said the issue concerns people’s livelihood and will have to be approached in a manner that takes into account the livelihood and humanitarian needs of the fishermen of both India and Lanka.

Briefing the Indian media at the end of Swaraj’s two-day visit to Lanka, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said there is a fundamental difference between the Italian marines case and the Indo-Lankan fishermen issue. The former is a legal issue, while the latter is a livelihood and humanitarian one, he said.

Swaraj’s plea to Wickremesinghe on the fishermen issue came in the wake of an interview the Lankan PM had given to Thanthi TV in which he had said that it is well within the Lankan Navy’s rights to shoot at Indian fishermen if they intrude into Lankan waters since the country’s law provides for shooting in self-defence.

However, Wickremesinghe added that Lanka is willing to settle the fishermen issue peacefully, through talks.

Akbaruddin said India wants the issue to be settled through talks between the fishermen of the two countries.(Indian Express)

Comments - 13

nalaka Sunday, 08 March 2015 09:30 AM

nice way to steal our fish India

5 60

TJ Sunday, 08 March 2015 09:37 AM

Ranil is a gentleman in politics. In this case he has made stupid comments and impertinent comparisons..

53 26

george Sunday, 08 March 2015 09:43 AM

Give each boat a Marine GPS, with clearly demarcated lines. Arrest and destroy the boats if they intrude inspire of it -meaning intentionally instead of accidentally.Cheaper all around.

2 38

palle Sunday, 08 March 2015 10:04 AM

What? Rob on the humanitarian basis?

3 52

Lakmal Sunday, 08 March 2015 10:27 AM

The best strategy would be to capture the intruders, sink the boat and hold them in a horrible jail for a month before releasing them. If they do this for a year, the Indians will stop coming. They need to sink as many boats as possible.

10 33

puran appu Sunday, 08 March 2015 10:44 AM

Study the way small island nations like Seychelles deal with illegal fishing with harsh punishments. India should be ashamed of their toddler comments. Of course this was predicted before, when Sri Lankan (so called) leaders boot lick Indian masters.

5 27

Minal Sunday, 08 March 2015 11:38 AM

So the Indians are asking for aid from Sri Lanka? Shameful.

6 20

Frank Sunday, 08 March 2015 12:24 PM

Wrong commence. Its not diplomatic. But because of this fishmens and the Indian goverment, Sri Lanka sufferd more than 30 years.

7 21

EMAT Sunday, 08 March 2015 06:44 PM

Our PM never gave the order to shoot. He merely said that we have the moral and legal right to shoot. And any right thinking person will agree that he is right.

2 21

gulflad Monday, 09 March 2015 09:40 AM

There is no self defense in shooting unarmed person

0 3

DJ Monday, 09 March 2015 11:55 AM

Some of the commentators should read the news of Indian fisherman causing violence to our fisherman and in that context PM is right. India should consider that to protect our fisherman the Navy has the right to do it

0 0

jay Monday, 09 March 2015 12:45 PM

elections round the corner after that ranil back to square one

3 3

Neloufer Monday, 09 March 2015 01:00 PM

What is the defence for Trespass? That happens when Indian boats cross the maritime boundary. It is immaterial that they were armed or not.

0 0

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