Sri Lankan authorities tonsure five fishermen in jail; an act of human rights violation, say fisherfolks in Rameswaram

Sri Lankan authorities arrest and mistreat Tamil Nadu fishermen, sparking protests and demands for intervention and justice.

Describing the Sri Lankan authorities action as inhumane and a violation of human rights, fishermen from Thangachimadam staged a demonstration near the Madurai-Rameswaram national highway on Saturday.

On August 27, eight fishermen, who were engaged in fishing, were arrested under charges of poaching by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel. The mechanised boat was impounded. On production before the court, all the eight fishermen were remanded in judicial custody.

When the case came up for hearing on September 5, the court directed three among them - Ganesan, Sesu and Adaikalam - to undergo six months rigorous imprisonment and imposed SLR 50000 as fine, while ordered the release of five others including Raja, Sasikumar, Kingston and Mechansh with SLR 50000 fine each.

As the fishermen could not pay the fines on their own, the Ramanathapuram MLA Muthuramalingam had arranged for the funds, fishermen leaders said.

However, due to a delay of two days in remitting the fines, the jail authorities, it is alleged, tonsured the five fishermen.

As the news spread, the fishermen and their families were agitated and condemned the act of tonsure as human rights violation. They demanded action and threatened to intensify their agitations across the State if the governments remained mute spectators.

Speaking to The Hindu, fishermen association leaders J. R. Sesu Raja and Emerit said that the Sri Lankan authorities had been taking all assistance from India, but humiliated the fishers from TN. This should stop immediately and all the jailed fishermen should be released and brought back home safely. They also wanted the boats back from the island nation as it had deeply affected their livelihood.