23 Rameswaram fishermen held by Sri Lankan Navy, three trawlers impounded
The Hindu
23 Rameswaram fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan Navy for poaching, sparking concerns and calls for government intervention.
In a fresh incident, 23 fishermen from Rameswaram were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel on charges of poaching when they were engaged in fishing on the Palk Bay on Sunday (November 10, 2024).
Fisheries Department officials said 393 tokens were issued on Saturday (Nov. 9) from Rameswaram jetty in which around 2,500 fishermen had ventured into the sea. They were expected to return to the shores on Sunday (Nov. 10) afternoon.
In the meantime, 23 fishermen, who were said to be fishing near Katchatheevu islet, were held by the Sri Lankan Navy surveillance personnel on charges of having crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). After securing them and the three trawlers, the fishermen were taken to Kankesanthurai Port in Sri Lanka.
As the news spread in Rameswaram, fishermen associations expressed concern and urged the Union Government to immediately intervene and rescue them.
A fishermen association leader Sesu Raja said only when safety was assured, fishermen would be able to earn their daily wages without any apprehension. The repeated pleas to convene higher level talks with the fishermen of Northern Province in Sri Lanka by the governments alone would see the light, he added.
Another fishermen leader said, since June, when the annual fishing ban period ended, the Sri Lankan Navy had arrested over 300 fishermen and impounded about 30 trawlers. While the fishermen were let off after intervention by the governments here, the trawlers have not been returned. By doing so, the fishermen turned jobless. The Sri Lankan Government has also been imposing 6 months and two year jail terms for fishermen for repeating offence.
At a time, when the fishermen were fighting for survival, such punishments and detentions had only turned their lives miserable, Mr. Sesu Raja said, and added that from time immemorial, they have been fishing traditionally in the Palk Bay and urged the Union Government to come out of its continued silence in the larger interest of the fishermen community.
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