Press Sri Lankan Prez for release of Indian fishermen: TN Cong MP to EAM Jaishankar

Chennai, Dec 14 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Congress MP R. Sudha met Union External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, urging him to press the visiting Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for the immediate release of Indian fishermen illegally detained in Sri Lanka, along with their impounded fishing boats.

The Sri Lankan President is scheduled to visit New Delhi on December 17, 2024.

In her letter to the Union minister, Sudha highlighted Tamil Nadu’s vast coastline of 1,076 kilometres, constituting 15 per cent of India’s total coastal length.

She pointed out that 14 out of Tamil Nadu’s 38 districts are coastal, including her constituency, Mayiladuthurai.

The other coastal districts include Thiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanyakumari.

She noted that these 14 districts collectively house over 2.1 crore people—more than 25 per cent of Tamil Nadu’s total population—with each district having over one lakh fishermen.

Tamil Nadu ranks fifth in fishing production at the national level. The Congress MP underscored the vulnerability of Tamil fishermen, who routinely face harassment, attacks, arrests, and even killings by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing in the Bay of Bengal.

In her letter, Sudha wrote: “The incidents are well-documented and acknowledged even by Sri Lanka. The frequent arrests and harassment of Tamil fishermen are attributed to crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), allegedly in pursuit of richer marine resources on the Sri Lankan side. However, such claims cannot justify the unwarranted actions against our fishermen.”

She added that globally, fishermen crossing borders are treated with dignity and understanding, but Indian fishermen, particularly from Tamil Nadu, face contempt and violence from Sri Lankan authorities.

Citing a specific incident, she said: “On September 21, 2024, 37 fishermen from my constituency, Mayiladuthurai, were illegally assaulted and arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. These Good Samaritan fishermen had tried to assist a capsized Sri Lankan fishing boat, even helping recover the bodies of two deceased Sri Lankan fishermen. Despite their noble act, they were rounded up and detained.”

R. Sudha revealed that nearly 150 Indian fishermen, mostly from Tamil Nadu, are currently languishing in Sri Lankan prisons, although the exact figure fluctuates due to new arrests and sporadic releases.

Additionally, 198 fishing boats and trawlers belonging to Indian fishermen have been seized and remain in Sri Lankan custody.

She stressed the devastating economic impact on fishing families and villages caused by the retention of fishing boats, stating: “For a fisherman’s family or a village, a fishing boat is akin to a milch cow, sustaining their livelihood. Releasing fishermen while withholding boats economically cripples them.”

R. Sudha urged EAM Jaishankar to secure the immediate release of all 141 detained fishermen (45 under trial and 96 serving sentences), Press for the return of the 198 impounded fishing vessels, emphasised to the Sri Lankan President the need to halt arbitrary assaults, robbery, and killings of Indian fishermen.

She also proposed the establishment of a permanent consultative mechanism to address these issues and find a lasting solution to this ongoing flashpoint between India and Sri Lanka.

Additionally, the Congress MP suggested revisiting the Katchatheevu Agreement to either reclaim the island or reintroduce clauses allowing Indian fishermen to use the island for essential activities, including drying their nets, resting, and emergency purposes.

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