The 22 Indian fishermen rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy off the north-western coast here, in two separate instances, are now awaiting repatriation in a residential facility in Jaffna.
Indian Consul General in Jaffna V. Mahalingam told The Hindu over phone that the fishermen were on five boats. While one ran aground in Analative island the others were stranded in Delft.
The Sri Lankan Navy said that the Indian fishermen were illegally fishing in Sri Lankan waters. They were arrested, produced before the Kayts Magistrate, who ordered their release.
The gesture — of not remanding them to judicial custody as has been the case each time the fishermen cross over — has been welcomed by the Indian Mission and the fishermen.
“Naval personnel attached to SLNS Wasaba of the Northern Naval Command rescued 12 Indian fishermen when their trawlers were run aground in the seas off Delft Island on 19th December 2011 while Naval personnel attached to SLNS Elara of the same Command rescued 6 Indian fishermen in a trawler run aground in the seas off Analative Island on the same day. The Navy rescued the fishermen in distress and provided them food and medical assistance after bringing them to safety. These trawlers were poaching in Sri Lankan waters when they ran aground in the Northern seas,” the Sri Lankan Navy said.
“In spite of exaggerated allegations in the Indian media accusing the Navy of unleashing violence on Indian fishermen, it is the Sri Lanka Navy that has come to the rescue of the Indian fishermen in distress in Sri Lankan waters on many occasions. The Navy has time and again saved the lives of Indian fishermen when they were in distress in Sri Lankan waters. The latest being the rescue of 4 Indian fishermen on 18th December in the seas off Delft Island,” it added.
Repatriation in a few days
Mr. Mahalingam said that the Indian Consulate and the Sri Lankan Navy would work on retrieving the boats on Thursday. The Tamil Nadu government was also kept in the loop, and details of towing the boats back would be finalised after consultations among all the parties involved.
Joint Working Group in January
The satisfactory handling of this sensitive case lays the ground for the meeting of the India- Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Fishing in January. According to Sri Lankan officials, the meet will be held in Colombo on January 13 and 14, a few days ahead of the visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna.
