Time for Tamil parties across the Palk Strait to act

The fisheries dispute between Sri Lanka and India remains an irritant in bilateral relations, affecting not only diplomacy between the two neighbours but also the livelihoods and emotions of the Tamil people living in the Northern Province. At a time when Sri Lanka is attempting to deepen economic cooperation with India and benefit from regional integration, the unresolved fisheries issue remains a political and humanitarian flashpoint capable of generating distrust on both sides of the Palk Strait.
This is precisely why Tamil political parties in the North can no longer remain passive observers. They have both the political legitimacy and moral responsibility to intervene constructively and push for a durable solution. The people directly affected are their own constituents – the Northern fishermen whose livelihoods are being steadily eroded by illegal bottom trawling and poaching by Indian fishermen, mainly from Tamil Nadu.
For decades, Northern fishermen suffered immensely because of the war. Their access to the sea was restricted, fishing hours were controlled, and entire coastal communities were displaced. After the end of the conflict, these fishermen expected economic revival through the restoration of fishing rights. Instead, they found themselves competing with technologically advanced Indian trawlers crossing the maritime boundary in large numbers. These vessels not only deplete fish stocks but also destroy seabed ecosystems and fishing nets used by Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen.
The issue therefore is not merely about maritime boundaries or arrests at sea. It is about economic survival and post-war justice for Northern Tamils.
Unfortunately, the matter is often viewed in Sri Lanka only through a national security or diplomatic lens. Equally, in Tamil Nadu, it is frequently politicised as a humanitarian issue concerning Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan authorities. This selective narrative prevents a balanced understanding of the suffering faced by Northern Sri Lankan Tamil fishing communities.
Tamil political parties in the North are uniquely placed to bridge this divide because they understand both the ethnic sensitivities and the economic realities involved. They maintain cultural and political connections with Tamil Nadu while simultaneously representing the grievances of Sri Lankan Tamils. Their intervention can therefore help transform the issue from a bilateral confrontation into a cooperative Tamil dialogue across the Palk Strait.
So far, however, their engagement has lacked strategic intensity. Statements are occasionally issued condemning poaching, but there has not been sustained political mobilisation to pressure both Colombo and Chennai toward meaningful negotiations involving fishermen’s associations on both sides.
India has emerged as Sri Lanka’s principal regional partner, especially after extending critical assistance during the economic crisis. Allowing the fisheries dispute to fester risks undermining broader strategic cooperation.
The role of popular Tamil Nadu political and cinema figures also becomes relevant in this context. Actor-turned-politician Vijay, whose political statements increasingly attract public attention in Tamil Nadu, may eventually be compelled to take a position on the issue. Given the emotional appeal of fishermen’s rights in Tamil Nadu politics, there will naturally be pressure on him to align himself with the concerns of Indian fishermen.
However, leaders aspiring for larger political relevance must recognise the full complexity of the issue. If Vijay or similar political figures adopt purely populist positions without acknowledging the suffering of Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen, it could deepen tensions between the Tamil communities on both sides of the Strait. Tamil solidarity cannot mean protecting one group of fishermen while ignoring the economic destruction faced by another Tamil community.
This is where Northern Tamil political parties must act proactively. Instead of allowing nationalist emotions in Tamil Nadu to dominate the discourse, they should directly communicate the realities faced by Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen. The long-term solution requires phased elimination of bottom trawling, alternative livelihood assistance for Indian fishermen, joint fisheries management mechanisms and stronger bilateral enforcement. But diplomacy alone cannot succeed unless political actors representing affected communities become stakeholders in the process. If these parties genuinely wish to demonstrate political relevance beyond rhetoric, they should emerge as active facilitators of dialogue between Colombo, New Delhi, Chennai and fishing communities on both sides. Otherwise, the fisheries dispute will continue to poison Indo-Lanka relations while the poorest Tamil fishermen pay the heaviest price.