Chennai, May 13:
Six Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lanka on Tuesday morning for alleged fishing in the terrritorial waters, even as Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay wrote to External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar urging him to utilise all available diplomatic channels to secure their safe release and repatriation.
Reports said the fishermen, hailing from Mandapam in Rameswaram in Ramanathapuram district, were fishing in the mid sea when the Lankan Navy personnel intercepted them and detained them on charges of poaching in their waters after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The Lankan Navy personnel also impounded their boat, took the fishermen and the boat to Sri Lanka and handed them over to Fisheries department officials for further action.
Though the incidents of frequent arrests of fisherman had been continuing unabated over the years, this was the first incident after the new government headed by Vijay took over the reins of the State.
Expressing concern over their arrests, Vijay in a swift action, wrote a Demi-Official letter to Dr Jaishankar drawing his attention to this latest incident.
He said six fishermen ventured into the sea on May 10 from Mandapam and were arrested along with the fishing boat for alelgedly crossing the IMBL.
The six fishermen are Tvl.Alex, Anthoni Rajan, Santhana Alocias, Arul They Britto, Albert and Sahaya Selvashanu.
It was also brought to notice that, 54 fishermen are already in Sri Lankan Prison and 264 boats have been impounded by theĀ Lankan authorities.
“In this regard, I request you to take up the matter with the Sri Lankan Authorities through appropriate diplomatic channels to secure the release of the detained fishermen and their boats at the earliest.
It may be noted that various fishermen associations had been condemning the oft-repeated instances of arrests of fishermen and urged the central and the state governments to find a permanent solution to sustain their livelihood and restore their traditional fishing rights in the Palk Strait region.
The alarming spurt in Incidents of arrests of TN fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy has been causing much heartburn among their families and the fishing community at large despite repeated appeals from the fishermen associations for diplomatic intervention and a permanent solution to the long-standing issue in the Palk Strait.
The fishermen said repeated arrest incidents have left coastal communities in a state of deep anxiety and uncertainty about their livelihood and safety and said there was an urgent need for sustained and concrete diplomatic efforts to prevent further arrests.
This recurring pattern of detention is a matter of grave concern, as fishermen from Tamil Nadu and their vessels continue to be taken into custody by the Sri Lankan authorities with alarming frequency, they said.