In the wake of the arrests of 10 fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan Navy, less than a month after the alleged gunning down of another fisherman on the high seas, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has accused the Sri Lankan Navy of having little regard for diplomatic efforts.

“A decisive shift in the manner in which the sensitive issue is dealt with is long-awaited and is the need of the hour,” the TN Chief Minister said in his letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“There only seem to be continuous attempts by the Sri Lankan Navy to frustrate the efforts towards a solution and to harass and intimidate our innocent fishermen eking out their meagre livelihood in the traditional fishing grounds of the Palk Bay through repeated arrests and apprehensions,” Mr. Palaniswami said.

He further requested the Prime Minister to take steps to ensure the release of 10 fishermen and 129 fishing boats, currently in Sri Lankan custody.

Even as he reiterated his request for bilateral diplomatic efforts for sharing narrow waters between India and Sri Lanka to bring about mutually acceptable arrangements, the Chief Minister added that the “continuous arrests and apprehensions of the Sri Lankan Navy, however, seem to be an attempt only to prevent any such diplomatic solution to the issue.”

He also called for the immediate release of the boats currently under Sri Lankan custody, as it caused “great frustration” amongst the fishermen of Tamil Nadu, whose source of livelihood had been taken away.

Source: The Hindu

-Agencies