“I should be the happiest person in the world and I will celebrate my birthday on November 24 with my father after a gap of three years,” says W. Kaviya, daughter of Wilson, one of the five fishermen, set free by the Lankan President after they were awarded death sentence on charges of drug trafficking.
Four days after she celebrated her birthday in 2011, her father ventured into sea for fishing and was arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on November 28. “It’s a double celebration for me,” says the excited class VIII student.
Lavanya, who was four months pregnant, and Skenitha, who was three months pregnant, when their husbands were arrested, are eager to show their sons to them. “I will present my son first before him,” says an excited Skenitha, wife of Prasath.
“My mother will henceforth stop beating me for not doing homework after my father returns,” says an innocent E. Pemiya (8), daughter of Emerson. “He loves her so much and never allowed me to even shout at her,” says Lavanya, carrying her two-and-a-half-year-old son Walles, who would see his father for the first time since birth.
Lavanya recalls that her husband Emerson, who became mentally ill, did not call the family for the past two years. He had just seen the picture of his son, sent through fishermen leader U. Arulanandham. He should turn normal after seeing his son, she hopes. “We are planning to bring them in a victory procession from Pamban,” says fishermen leader Emirat.
