A large number of women and children from the fishermen community in Rameswaram, Mandapam and Thangachimadam on Monday staged a sit-in in front of the office of the Deputy Director (Fisheries), demanding the intervention of the Central and State Governments in the release of the arrested fishermen. Last December the Sri Lankan Navy…
The agitators staged a sit-in in front of the office and demanded that their problems be taken to the higher authorities.
Speaking to reporters, Selva Marie, the mother of a fisherman jailed in the island nation, said that since the day she got information that people close to her have been jailed, she has not slept well. There was also a lack of information from the governments. “We are really upset and worried about them,” she cried.
Fishermen’s union leader Jesu Raja said that on January 5, 13 out of the 68 fishermen were released by the Sri Lankan government. Of the 12 fishermen ready to go home, three tested positive for COViD-19. That’s why only nine fishermen reached here.
Besides, the government had promised to ensure the safe release of the remaining jailed fishermen ahead of Pongal. “We want our ships also to be abandoned so that the fishermen can go back to fishing,” said Mr. Jesu Raja.
Katavarayan, Deputy Director of Fisheries, assured the fishermen and their families that they would convey their apprehensions to the higher officials of the state government.
Ramanathapuram Collector Shankar Lal Kumawat presented shawls to the nine fishermen who returned home at the DD Fisheries office here.
Meanwhile, former Sri Lankan minister Senthil Thondaiman, who was in Sivaganga to oversee the training being given to bulls ahead of Jallikattu at Pattamangalam near Thirupathur, told reporters that the Sri Lankan government was friendly with India and the bond was natural.
On the issue of fishermen, Mr Thondaman suggested that the dispute should be resolved amicably with IMBL under close monitoring by the Indian Coast Guard. If the fishermen were directed to fish only in their waters, the Sri Lankan Navy would not have arrested them.