Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India]: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar requesting his intervention to secure the immediate release of 55 fishermen and 73 fishing boats apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy. The chief minister detailed “two incidents of apprehension of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy that took place in the last 24 hours.” The 43 fishermen from Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram District, were fishing in the traditional waters of Palk Bay, in six mechanized fishing boats and were arrested on December 18 and taken to Mylatti, Naval base in Sri Lanka, the Tamil Nadu CM said in his letter. In another incident on December 19, 12 fishermen in two mechanized fishing boats from Mandapam, Ramanathapuram district were arrested and taken to Kalpatti, Naval base in Sri Lanka, Stalin wrote. “I am saddened to point out that the incidents of arrest and harassment of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy continue with alarming frequency despite several letters sent by the Government of Tamil Nadu,” the Tamil Nadu chief minister wrote. Stalin further said “in the year 2021 itself there were 19 incidents of apprehension and attack of Tamil Nadu fishermen. Though the fishermen were released, fishing boats, the source of livelihood are still detained by Sri Lankan authorities. Further, during the same period, there were two instances of attacks, and five fishermen were killed.” “The repeated attempts by the Sri Lankan Navy to prevent the exercise of traditional rights by fishermen of the State by intimidatory tactics must not be allowed to continue further. I request the concerted efforts by the Government of India to address this festering issue,” Stalin said. Stalin further requested him to secure the immediate release of fishermen and fishing boats in the custody of the neighbouring country.
