ID :
80371
Thu, 09/17/2009 - 08:32
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/80371
The shortlink copeid
Lankan foreign minister asks India to release 51 fishermen
T V Sriram
Colombo, Sept 16 (PTI) Sri Lanka has sought the
assistance of New Delhi for early release of its 51 fishermen
caught near Andaman and Nicobar Islands after they had
illegally strayed into Indian waters.
During his meeting with Indian High Commissioner Alok
Prasad early this week, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama
requested for the the release of the Sri Lankan fishermen.
Sri Lanka has also made an appeal to free the nine
fishing vessels seized from them.
Recently at a parliamentary debate here, a Sri Lankan
Minister said it will not antagonise New Delhi on the issue of
its fishermen straying into Indian waters and said it favoured
an amicable settlement on the vexed issue. In June, India
decided to release 28 Sri Lankan fishermen who were arrested
after straying into Indian waters.
"We cannot antagonise India. New Delhi has always
taken the initiative in trying to curb its fishermen from
coming into our (Sri Lankan) waters. We have to settle the
problem amicably with India," the Sri Lankan fisheries
minister Felix Perera said.
Sri Lanka never permits its fishermen to go to India,
the minister said adding every time it had pay for the air
ticket to get its (Lankan) straying fishermen from India that
would impose an additional cost for the government.
According to officials here, Sri Lankan fishermen on
many occasions inadvertently stray into Indian waters in
pursuit of a good catch and get apprehended by the coast
guards.
Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft regularly
carry out surveillances and patrolling in the Indian Maritime
Zone and along the International Maritime Boundary Line
(IMBL).
Meanwhile, the All Ceylon Fisheries Convention, has
maintained that the Sri Lankan government should first try to
sort out the problem of Indian fishermen at times illegally
coming into Sri Lankan waters for fishing.
As per available information, as against 5 Indian
boats and 19 fishermen apprehended by the Sri Lankan
authorities in 2006, a total of 19 boats and 107 Indian
fishermen were detained in 2007.
While in 2008, 334 Indian boats and 1456 fishermen
were apprehended, in 2009, 21 boats and 85 Indian fishermen
were detained as on July 10, according to officials.
However, all the fishermen have been released by Sri
Lankan authorities. Keeping in mind the humanitarian and
livelihood dimensions of the issue, the Indian Government
reached an understanding with the Sri Lankan Government on
26th October 2008 to put in place practical arrangements to
deal with bonafide Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen crossing
the International Maritime Boundary Line.
As part of these arrangements, there will be no firing
on Indian fishing vessels and Indian fishing vessels will not
tread into sensitive areas designated by the Government of Sri
Lanka along its coastline. PTI TVS
ANU
Colombo, Sept 16 (PTI) Sri Lanka has sought the
assistance of New Delhi for early release of its 51 fishermen
caught near Andaman and Nicobar Islands after they had
illegally strayed into Indian waters.
During his meeting with Indian High Commissioner Alok
Prasad early this week, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama
requested for the the release of the Sri Lankan fishermen.
Sri Lanka has also made an appeal to free the nine
fishing vessels seized from them.
Recently at a parliamentary debate here, a Sri Lankan
Minister said it will not antagonise New Delhi on the issue of
its fishermen straying into Indian waters and said it favoured
an amicable settlement on the vexed issue. In June, India
decided to release 28 Sri Lankan fishermen who were arrested
after straying into Indian waters.
"We cannot antagonise India. New Delhi has always
taken the initiative in trying to curb its fishermen from
coming into our (Sri Lankan) waters. We have to settle the
problem amicably with India," the Sri Lankan fisheries
minister Felix Perera said.
Sri Lanka never permits its fishermen to go to India,
the minister said adding every time it had pay for the air
ticket to get its (Lankan) straying fishermen from India that
would impose an additional cost for the government.
According to officials here, Sri Lankan fishermen on
many occasions inadvertently stray into Indian waters in
pursuit of a good catch and get apprehended by the coast
guards.
Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft regularly
carry out surveillances and patrolling in the Indian Maritime
Zone and along the International Maritime Boundary Line
(IMBL).
Meanwhile, the All Ceylon Fisheries Convention, has
maintained that the Sri Lankan government should first try to
sort out the problem of Indian fishermen at times illegally
coming into Sri Lankan waters for fishing.
As per available information, as against 5 Indian
boats and 19 fishermen apprehended by the Sri Lankan
authorities in 2006, a total of 19 boats and 107 Indian
fishermen were detained in 2007.
While in 2008, 334 Indian boats and 1456 fishermen
were apprehended, in 2009, 21 boats and 85 Indian fishermen
were detained as on July 10, according to officials.
However, all the fishermen have been released by Sri
Lankan authorities. Keeping in mind the humanitarian and
livelihood dimensions of the issue, the Indian Government
reached an understanding with the Sri Lankan Government on
26th October 2008 to put in place practical arrangements to
deal with bonafide Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen crossing
the International Maritime Boundary Line.
As part of these arrangements, there will be no firing
on Indian fishing vessels and Indian fishing vessels will not
tread into sensitive areas designated by the Government of Sri
Lanka along its coastline. PTI TVS
ANU
