By: Isuru Parakrama
December 08, Colombo (LNW): Fishermen associations in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, have announced a two-day strike, from Saturday (08) to Sunday (08) in protest over the recent arrest of 14 fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of poaching.
The strike is part of a much bigger call to the Indian government to take immediate action for the release of the detained men.
At a gathering of major fishermen associations on Friday, a resolution was passed urging the community to suspend all fishing activities for the duration of the protest.
The decision comes in response to growing frustration within the community, as they face increasing difficulties and uncertainty about their livelihoods.
Fishermen leader Sesu Raja, speaking to The Hindu, expressed his concerns about the lack of government intervention and the ongoing hardships faced by the fishing community.
“For months, Union Ministers in New Delhi assured us that we should be patient, citing the elections in Sri Lanka. Now that the elections are over and a new President and Prime Minister are in power, the Union government has failed to take any decisive action,” Raja said.
He stressed that the future of Tamil Nadu’s fishermen appears increasingly bleak without substantial governmental support.
Raja pointed out that the Tamil Nadu fishermen community has been engaged in traditional fishing in the Palk Bay for decades, and their troubles began only after the onset of the civil war in Sri Lanka, which had a significant impact on their activities.
Despite the end of the conflict, the problems faced by these fishermen seem to persist.
Raja questioned why the Indian government has not initiated a high-level dialogue with Sri Lankan authorities, a promise made by the late External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during a visit to the region almost a decade ago.
He also criticised the Union government for praising the fishing industry’s rising exports while neglecting the issues that local fishermen face.
“We cannot tolerate this double standard. If the government truly values the fishing sector, it must address the ongoing challenges that are threatening our livelihood and safety,” he asserted.
During the meeting, the fishermen associations passed three resolutions:
- The first called for the immediate release of the 14 fishermen and their trawlers, which had been seized by the Sri Lankan Navy.
- The second resolution demanded that the Sri Lankan courts stop imposing long prison sentences under the pretext of ‘repeat offences’ on fishermen.
- The third resolution urged the Tamil Nadu State government to provide compensation to the families of those detained in Sri Lanka.
*With inputs from The Hindu
