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Tamil Nadu
By V. Venkatasubramanian
Villagers of Keechankuppam, near here, have lodged a complaint with the town police today that 21 fishermen, who ventured into sea on four mechanised boats on March 4, were missing. They fear that the fishermen had been taken captive by the Sri Lankan Navy and have urged the Central and State Government to initiate steps to trace them. Our Chennai Special Correspondent reports: Officials here confirmed that the Nagapattinam fishermen had been detained in Sri Lanka and the process of securing their release set in motion. "We have been told that the fishermen will be released after the routine legal process, but drivers and boats will be retained for investigation," a senior official said. Fishermen arrive Our Ramanathapuram Staff Reporter reports As many as 93 fishermen, who were released by a Sri Lankan district court, arrived at Mandapam today. As Rameswaram fishermen refused to send their boats to bring back those released at mid-sea, they were brought in a Coast Guard vessel to its base at Mandapam. The Sri Lankan Navy handed over them to Coast Guard personnel. After being subjected to a thorough enquiry, all the fishermen, including five seriously injured persons — Shankar of Mandapam Muruganatham of Kadukkavalasai, Appathurai, Murugan and Muruganatham of Rameswaram — were handed over to their relatives in the presence of the Superintendent of Police, Ashok Kumar Das, the Revenue Divisional Officer, Suriya Narayanan and the Assistant Director of Fisheries, Chinna Muthiaha. Appathurai was rushed to the Rameswaram Government Hospital. Murugesan and Thirunavukarasu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on the charge of transporting Tamil refugees to the island nation without valid documents on February 19, 2002. They also released their country boat. In the first batch, 89 Tamil Nadu fishermen and 20 trawlers and in the second batch 42 fishermen and nine trawlers were taken into custody. Thirteen fishermen and their two trawlers were released on March 4.
`Secure release of all fishermen'
Meanwhile, the TNCC president, S.Balakrishnan, has urged the Government to take steps to protect the lives and the welfare of Indian fishermen who venture in to the sea in the Gulf of Mannar. Speaking to the meidapersons, he said Rameswaram fishermen were being put to hardship by the Sri Lankan Navy. He wanted an emergency meeting, involving representatives of fishermen's associations of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, convened to ensure the rights of Indian fishermen at Katchatheevu. The TNCC working president, E. V.K.S. Elangovan, urged the Centre to find a permanent solution to problems arising between Tamil Nadu fishermen and the Sri Lankan Navy and fishermen.
Dawn-to-dusk bandh
Rameshwaram fishermen will observe a dawn-to-dusk bandh tomorrow demanding release of all fishermen, including drivers, and return of their trawlers. The Collector, S.Vijaya Kumar, meanwhile, at an emergency meeting with representatives of fishermen associations, requested them not to organise any protest, as the Government had taken steps to secure the release of the fishermen and their trawlers. The Sri Lankan Government released 93 out of 134 fishermen and one mechanised boat so far. Steps would be taken to secure the release of the remaining 41 fishermen, including drivers, and thirtyone boats within five days, he said. Following the meeting, the associations dropped their road-roko plan. Instead, they would observe a bandh and hold street meetings to explain the steps taken by the Government to secure the release of the fishermen.
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