Rameswaram fishermen withdraw indefinite strike

RAMESWARAM: The fishermen of Rameswaram on Sunday decided to withdraw their ‘indefinite strike’ that has been on for the last ten days and resolved to get back to the sea for fishing from August 3.

The decision was taken at an emergent meeting of the various fishermen’s associations here, a day after their representatives had held a meeting with the External Affairs minister, Ms Sushma Swaraj in New Delhi on their charter of demands.

While the fishermen have been demanding immediate steps by both the Central and Tamil Nadu governments to take steps to prevail upon Sri Lanka to stop its Navy’s indiscriminate attacks and arrests on Tamil Nadu fishermen in the Palk Straits and Gulf of Mannar areas while fishing, fisher folks at the meeting were briefed on the outcome of their representatives talks with Ms Swaraj.

The fishermen thanked the Central and State governments for its efforts to get all the 77 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested in the high seas by Sri Lankan Navy released by Colombo, even as they reiterated their demand that all the 111 mechanised and country-boats impounded by Sri Lankan authorities so far should also be immediately returned.

However, according to Mr N.J. Bose, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Mechanised Boats Fishermen’s Welfare Association, Ms Swaraj had assured them of further steps by the Centre to get back the seized boats and also arrange for talks between the representatives of fishermen’s associations in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka in August to help sort out the operational issues.

In the backdrop of the Union minister’s assurances and also considering the fact that both the Centre and State governments had helped to ensure the release of all 77 fishermen jailed by Sri Lanka, “we have decided to give up our indefinite agitation and return to work,” said Mr Bose.