| MADURAI: Fishermen of seven coastal districts
have asked the State, Centre and Sri Lankan
Government to facilitate a meeting of fishermen from
Tamil Nadu and the island nation to discuss and
decide on their fishing rights in the Palk Strait,
Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mannar. Coming together
under the banner of Joint Action Council (JAC)
against Violations of Fishermen’s Rights, the
fishermen have organised a public hearing on their
sufferings, which included imprisonment, seizure and
damage of boats and nets and killing by the Sri
Lankan Navy and the “inaction” of the State and
Centre. The public hearing would be held during the
Fishermen’s Livelihood Conference at Rameswaram on
December 11.
Addressing reporters here on Friday, U. Arulanandam,
President of Alliance for Release of Innocent
Fishermen, said that fishermen of Sri Lanka and
Tamil Nadu were crossing borders for their fishing
activities for centuries without any in-fighting.
Stating that a meeting of fishermen of both the
countries was conducted in 2004, he wanted the
State, Centre and Sri Lankan Government to create a
conducive atmosphere for another meeting.
T. Fatimson, Secretary of the JAC, said that the
problem of fishermen started only after handing over
of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka. “Let us (fishermen of
both countries) decide on what should be done for
fishing without any trouble. Both governments should
stand by our decision,” he said. “If the government
helps us (fishermen) in our livelihood, we will help
them prevent any possible threat to national
security from overseas,” he said.
Antony Gomez, President of All India Forum of
Fishermen, said that fishermen of the State were
opposed to many provisions of the Marine Fisheries
(Regulation and Management) Bill, 2009. “The Centre
had brought about as many as 25 amendments to the
Coastal Regulation Zone notification, 1991, without
consulting the fishermen to avoid demolition of
buildings and industrial units. But now, in the name
of national security, it is trying to restrict
fishing activities by Indian fishermen in the
exclusive economic zone,” he said.
The coastal security agencies would be empowered
to seize boats and fish and arrest fishermen on
violation of the restrictions. “Fishermen will be
compelled to get licence for fishing even with
catamarans and the license could be cancelled any
time. Fishermen can be arrested on suspicious ground
and no time limit has been set to intimate their
arrest to their relatives. These are violations of
basic human rights,” he said.
A demonstration against the Bill would be staged in
Kanyakumari on November 21.
(The Hindu) |
