Marking a milestone in bilateral ties, Indian and Sri Lankan authorities will today exchange mid-sea fishermen detained by both sides at the international maritime boundary line. This signals the fulfillment of an agreement to release all fishermen detained in prisons in both countries.
“The Indian Coast Guard and the Sri Lankan navy will exchange 52 fishermen from either side at sea at the IMBL around 11am on Thursday morning,” said S P Sharma, inspector general and commander coast guard region (East).
“We will bring back the Indian fishermen to local authorities at Karaikal around 3pm as it will be closest point for them to go home,” he said. The 52 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, released from Lankan jails, belong to Nagapattinam, Pudukottai and other parts of the state. While 20 of them were released from Mallakam prison, 32 were set free from Trincomalee prison.
In Chennai, 52 Sri Lankan fishermen boarded the Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Vishwast’ on Wednesday evening, comprising the first group heading home after being released from Indian prisons as part of the exchange deal.
Though this is a significant step forward for both governments, the Lankan fishermen returning home after spending more than five months in the Puzhal prison were disinclined to interact with the media as they were being taken to the port from the Maha Bodhi centre in Egmore where they were staying after being released on Monday. “We are happy to be going home after being here for months. But what about our boats?” asked R P A Ratnaveera speaking a mix of Tamil and Sinhalese. Ratnaveera says he and four other fishermen were detained when their boat strayed into Indian waters in the wake of a severe storm in August.
“In Sri Lanka, Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims live together. We don’t have any problem when Indian fishermen fish in our waters,” said Dyanakar A, a boat owner from Trincomalee. “Our only request to both governments is to give back our boats.” Four boat owners had come to India to visit the fishermen in Puzhal jail and to check their boats. “The diesel, battery, motors are all missing from our boats,” said Dyanakar.
“The released Lankan fishermen belong to Trincomalee and Macara and were caught between June and August,” said MGCA Pinto, national co-coordinator, Alliance for the Release of Innocent Fishermen and Fishing Craft, Sri Lanka (ARIF). “The Sri Lankan magistrate has ordered that seized Indian boats must be looked after safely at the ports. But items in our boats are missing. Action must be taken against fishermen crossing the line but they must be released in two weeks. This was followed even during the war,” Pinto said.
Over 200 Indian fishermen remain in Sri Lanka’s custody while more than 150 Lankan fishermen are being held by India, Times of India reports.
