As many as 14 fishermen from Rameswaram and Pamban were arrested by the Sri Lankan authorities in two separate incidents on Tuesday for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). 

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin wrote to Union external affairs Minister S Jaishankar, urging immediate diplomatic intervention to secure the release of the detained fishermen and their boats.

In the first incident in the early hours of Tuesday, five fishermen aboard a mechanised boat were apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy near the Mannar region, and handed over to the authorities for further action. The arrested were identified as boat owner J Justin, 51, of Thangachimadam, S Denison, 39, and S Sekar, 55, from Pamban, and J Mobin, 24, and T Saimon, 55, from Rameswaram.

Later, nine more fishermen who were fishing near Puthalam in a motorised country boat that departed from Pamban on Monday, were apprehended. The fishermen have been identified as K Raja, 44, of Thangachimadam, G Anandam, 49, R Murugadas, 41, and R Sannimel, 27, of Rameswaram, M Ariyappan, 38, of Mandapam, Tikshan, 24, of Pamban, W Murugesan, 51, of Tuticorin, S Kottesami, 45, and P Murugan, 42.

In his letter to Jaishankar, Stalin noted that this was the fourth such incident in July and that “repeated apprehensions have caused significant economic and emotional distress” to affected families.

He pointed out that currently 235 fishing boats and 68 fishermen from Tamil Nadu are in Sri Lankan custody. “I urge you to address the matter with urgency through appropriate diplomatic channels,” the chief minister wrote.

Fishermen’s associations and leaders have expressed concern over the continued arrests. Jesu Raja, a leader from Rameswaram, said at least 40 fishermen and six boats were apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy since the end of the fishing ban. Members of the Mechanised Boat Fishermen Welfare Association held a protest in Thangachimadam, demanding central govt intervention.

President of Tamil Maanila Congress, G K Vasan also condemned the arrests, calling them “a gross injustice” to Tamil Nadu’s fishing community. He urged the Centre to ensure the release of all fishermen and boats and to convey to the Sri Lankan govt that such harassment must not continue.

Source: TOI
--Agencies