The Sri Lankan Navy seized eight Indian fishing boats and arrested 55 fishermen on poaching and illegal fishing charges on Sunday. Several fishermen associations and political leaders from Tamil Nadu have condemned the incident and called for talks with the Sri Lankan government.
According to a press release by the Sri Lankan government, the 4th Fast Attack Craft Flotilla seized eight boats and arrested 43 fishermen travelling from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on Sunday morning. 12 other fishermen and two other fishing vessels travelling from Thangachimadam were arrested and seized during the day. Whether the fishermen will be released with a warning or remain under arrest is unclear.
Authorities arrested the fishermen during regular patrols conducted to check for illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters. The island nation’s Navy stressed that its priority is to protect the livelihood of the Sri Lankan fishing community and ensure the sustainability of the country’s resources. The arrests were made in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols, it added.
Following the incident, several fishermen associations in Tamil Nadu have called on Indian authorities to intervene. Speaking to The Hindu, P Sesu Raja, the leader of one of these associations, said, “The Union and State government should immediately intervene and protect all the fishermen and bring back the trawlers. Until then, the fishermen will not venture into the sea.” He argued that the fishermen had not violated the maritime boundary and added that the arrests and seizures form part of Sri Lanka’s repeated false allegations against Indian fishermen, who are often arrested using force. Jesu Raj also criticised the Indian central government for neglecting the persistent issue.
Amid these calls, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin addressed a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to highlight the threat posed by the aggressive actions of the Sri Lankan Navy. He said that Tamil fishermen are often prevented from exercising their traditional rights by using intimidatory tactics. He also informed Jaishankar that 11 fishermen associations had declared a strike and refused to step down until the fishermen were released. According to the Times of India, the operators of over 900 mechanised boats in Rameswaram and Pamban launched an indefinite strike on Monday.
It's condemnable that the Sri Lankan Navy has arrested our fishermen. I spoke with Hon'ble @DrSJaishankar, sent him a detailed letter and he has assured to follow it up. We'll certainly ensure our fishermen's safety & right to livelihood. pic.twitter.com/icQxoIO3Dh
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 19, 2021
Stalin further stressed that the incident wasn’t a rare occurrence. In fact, he said there have been 19 such incidents of “apprehension and attack of Tamil Nadu fishermen” this year alone, noting that this has resulted in the death of five fishermen.
Fishermen’s safety along India and Sri Lanka’s maritime boundary has been a long-standing issue. Just last month, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Parshottam Rupala reported multiple “incidences of Indian fishing boats being attacked by maritime agencies of Sri Lanka and Pakistan.” To this end, India and Sri Lanka have in place a Joint Working Group to institutionalise cooperation between their fisheries departments and ministries. However, the last session of this group was held in December 2020, illustrating the infrequency with which this issue is discussed.