Tamil Nadu CM Urges Jaishankar to secure release of fishermen from Sri Lanka
Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin urged the Union External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar to ensure the repatriation of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody and their boats and also to seek a waiver of the penalty imposed on humanitarian grounds by urgently taking up the issue with Sri Lankan authorities.
In a letter to the External Affairs Minister on Thursday, Stalin referred to the latest incident in which four fishermen from Pudukkottai were taken into custody by the Sri Lankan Navy along with their boat (Registration No.IND-TN-08-MM-1418) on Wednesday and drew his attention to the recurring arrests.
‘Further, it has been reported that on 3.09.2024, a Sri Lankan Court imposed a fine of Rs 1.5 crore on 12 fishermen who were taken into custody on 21st July 2024 while fishing in a boat bearing registration number
IND-TN-12-MM-5900. This huge penalty will push the already distressed families of fishermen to extreme hardship and deprivation,’ he said.
The traditional waters had provided sustenance and livelihoods to generations of fishermen and their families and the seizure of boats and frequent arrests of fishermen had resulted in immense hardship and distress for coastal communities, he said.
‘I would like to draw your attention to a matter of great concern that profoundly affects the livelihoods of fishermen from Tamil Nadu. The frequent arrests of our fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing in traditional waters have become an alarming issue and are continuing unabated,’ Stalin said in his letter.
