Embassy official meets Tamil Nadu fishermen in Tehran

Chennai: An official from the Indian Embassy in Tehran met fishermen from Tamil Nadu who have been detained for six months in Kish Island by the Iranian government.

“An official from the embassy visited them on Wednesday and gave them some money for their expenses,” said Sr. Josephine Valarmathi, of the National Domestic Workers Movement, who has been in touch with 15 fishermen, who went to work in Bahrain, and their families. “They have been told that their release would be decided upon by Monday by the Ambassador as he is not available this week due to holidays.”

“A release order dating March 14 was given to 15 fishermen ordering their release in five days, but the fishermen were not released,” said Justin Antony, founder president, International Fishermen Development Trust – INFIDET.
He added that a consular official confirmed to him about the fishermen being met by an official from the Embassy. “The official also met the Bahraini owner in Kish Island and asked him to pursue their case and also to make logistic arrangements for these fishermen,” the communication from the official stated.

The fifteen fishermen belong to Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, and Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu. Justin added that fishermen confirmed that the officials met them and that due to a week long holiday, there is nobody to take the decision of releasing the fishermen.

On October 2016, 15 fishermen from Bahrain were arrested for crossing the waters to Iran. Similarly, in December last year, 15 fishermen belonging to Ramanathapuram were arrested and detained subsequently.

Five who were working in Saudi and arrested in Iran during August 2016, were released earlier this month and are undergoing trial in Saudi for having crossed the territorial waters.

CM writes to PM on fishermen issue

Tamil Nadu Government on Wednesday asked the Union Government to make arrangements to bring back the mortal remains of two fishermen from the state who died in a mishap at a fishing base in Saudi Arabia.

In a letter to PM Narendra Modi, CM Edappadi K Palanisami said two fishermen – J Gorge and V Joseph — of Kaniyakumari district went for fishing from Darin fishing base in Saudi Arabia on March 17 in a vessel owned by a Saudi national and had met with a mishap the next day and died on the spot. Another fisherman P Nevil is still missing.

“The families of these fishermen are traumatised after knowing about the tragedy and are seeking expeditious diplomatic assistance in the search and rescue of Nevil and transportation of the mortal remains of the deceased to TN and obtaining financial assistance from their employers,” he told Modi.

He also asked Mr Modi to direct the Indian Embassy to take up this matter with the employer concerned and ensure that the monetary benefits due to all the three fishermen are released to their families without any delay.