A group of fishermen were allegedly attacked near Katchatheevu in the Palk Straits by the Sri Lankan Navy even before they entered Sri Lankan territorial waters, fisheries officials said here on Thursday.
Fishermen in 614 boats had gone to the sea on Wednesday night. The Sri Lankan Navymen threw stones and other missiles including bottles, to prevent them from crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line, they said.
The windscreens of some boats were damaged and the fishermen were threatened at gunpoint not to cross the IMBL, they alleged.
The fishermen later returned to shore.
Keywords: Indian fishermen
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Many readers here are not aware of the Maritime regulations. Why should there be an exception for Tamil fishermen, when they cross over the Indian waters and stray into International waters. This has been happening for a long time now. The solution is with Tamil Nadu government. Provide the fishermen with a communication system as well orientation on navigating in territorial waters. Most fishermen from Tamil Nadu, cross the Indian waters bordering Sri Lanka to make clandestine supplies at mid seas to LTTE.
The simple system of maintaining a log book in the fishing ports is not existing in Tamil Nadu. Allowing fishermen to land and venture into sea right from the place the live is another blunder Tamil Nadu makes. Don't blame the system, rather blame yourselves for the ignorance. Respect the territorial waters of another country.
It is definitely better than getting arrested after crossing IMBL.
SL won't respect what India asks them to rightfully do for the Indian fisherman.
USA and EU have realised this and now going to UN-HRC on the the war crimes and independent investigation for victims of the last stage of the war.
India still seems to please Sri Lankans by giving carrots. It won't work.
It's indeed a very sad thing happening every day for Indian fishermen.
I think the responsible persons who have to take decision of protecting
Indian fishermen blind and deaf.
Cong. Govt. initiates action against Italy but supported Sri Lanka's
attitude. No country in the world tolerates the suffering of its own
citizens. Give the power to the common men. They will resolve this
problem very amicably. I feel the govts. at the state and centre do not
have a right to rule the nation. If they are not able to protect the
livelihood; safety of the common people they have to hand over the
power to the common man. That's the only solution.
It is very true that the IMBL is not to be crossed but pelting stones,
throwing bottles and damaging their fishing trawler is no way justified.
I doubt if our country is ever serious about defending our citizens. I'm
sure our Govt will never take any action against the Sri Lankan Navy nor
will punish those Italian mariners who killed our fishermen. Manmohan
Singh will yield to the pressure thrust by the Italian PM. Our Govt
hardly takes pride in protecting an innocent citizen. Had the situation
been in US or Israel, they would have belted out the opponent.
Why no action against Sri Lanka for these repeated criminal acts? Why
are we siding with them in the Tamil "crimes against humanity" affair?
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