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Members of the Fishermen Association of Rameshwaram began an indefinite strike on Sunday, demanding the release of 27 fishermen and five boats allegedly captured by the Sri Lankan navy.
"On October 14th, more than 400 fishermen from Rameswaram went to sea to catch fish. The Sri Lankan Navy took 27 Rameswaram fishermen along with five boats to Talaimannar port and Kankesanturai port, and handed them over to Talaimannar and Jaffna Maritime Inspectors for further legal action," N.J. Bose, General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Boat Fishermen's Welfare Association said while speaking to ANI. The protesting fishermen demanded for the government's intervention for the immediate release of the fishermen. Earlier, the Sri Lankan Navy detained the 17 fishermen and their three boats on September 13 for allegedly poaching in the territorial waters of the island nation. Following the State and Central government intervention, they were released by the Sri Lanka Court on September 27. Later, the fishermen arrived in Chennai on October 14. In September, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar urging him to initiate diplomatic efforts with the Sri Lankan government to secure the release of the fishermen detained by the Lankan Navy. In the letter, Stalin sought to draw Jaishankar's attention to the matter, saying, "Three mechanised boats and 17 Tamil Nadu fishermen were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy, allegedly for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) into Sri Lankan waters". "The recurring incidents of Tamil Nadu fishermen being apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy continue to aggravate the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty among the fishermen in the region. These fishermen, who rely on fishing as their primary and sole source of livelihood, sometimes find themselves unintentionally drifting into Sri Lankan waters due to the absence of clear demarcation and navigational challenges. The apprehensions by the Sri Lankan Navy have escalated tensions, disrupted lives, and caused economic hardships to the fishermen and their families," the Tamil Nadu CM added in his letter. Stalin urged Jaishankar to employ urgent diplomatic measures to secure the release of the Indian fishermen at the earliest. He also called upon the External Affairs Minister to find "a lasting diplomatic solution through bilateral negotiations to bring peace in the lives of thousands of Indian fishermen". (ANI)
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