Fishermen took out a massive sea rally for about 60 km in over 350 boats to show their protest against the Centre’s proposed Enayam International Container Transshipment Terminal (EICTT) in Kanniyakumari district on Sunday.
Over 2000 fishermen and their children hailing from 38 coastal villages participated in the sea rally with black flag, which was greeted by fisherwomen who had lined the shore all along the route. As the rally passed various villages, arrangements were made to ring the church bells all along the seashore, said Fr. Churchil, General Secretary, South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF).
The sea rally was flagged off by Fr. M. Stephen, Director, Coastal Peace and Development (CPD).
The sea rally culminated at Kanniyakumari at around 1 p.m., where the fishermen laid siege to the Poompuhar Shipping Corporation’s boat house, thus blocking tourist entry to the Vivekanandar Rock and Tiruvalluvar statue for nearly an hour.
Fishermen and villagers facing eviction in the buffer area of the proposed EICTT have been protesting against the Enayam project for the last one year.
Fr. Churchil said that ``Sea is the property of fishermen, it is meant for fishing and hence we will not allow even a single container ships to enter into our territory’’.
Fishermen urged the Union government to withdraw the port project and demanded the State government not to extend its support for the project.
The fishermen also wished the Chief Minister an early recovery, Fr. Churchil said.
Due to lack of sea crafts, few personnel attached to the Coastal Security Group monitored the rally from the boats of fishermen.
George Robinson, president, National Fishermen Union, Jordhan, District president, Tamilnadu Fishermen Forum, Fr. Raj, Parish Priest, Mullurthurai, Fr. Praveen, Thomas Cocheri Fishermen Union participated in the rally.
Muslim Jamath opposes proposal
Kanniyakumari District Muslim Jamath Federation has urged the Union and State governments to withdraw the proposed Enayam International Container Transshipment Terminal.
A resolution to this effect was passed at a meeting of the Federation at Thiruvithancode on Sunday. The meeting was presided over by the Federation president Abdul Latheef in the presence of General Secretary M.A. Khan, says a release. The resolution urged the Centre and the State to withdraw the proposal as it will affect the livelihood of over one lakh people. Fertile lands, spiritual places such as temples, churches and mosques will also be affected, the release added.
