Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has reiterated her demand of securing the release of Tamil Nadu fishermen from Sri Lankan jails and their boats prior to the fishermen-level talks to be held in Colombo on March 13.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday, the Chief Minister referred to two incidents of apprehension of 24 Tamil Nadu fishermen and the seizure of five fishing boats on Wednesday last. All the 24 fishermen had been produced before the Magistrate’s Court, Mannar, Sri Lanka, she said.
Ms.Jayalalithaa pointed out that 148 fishermen who were apprehended and remanded in Sri Lankan jails for more than a month as well as five fishermen who have been languishing in a Sri Lankan jail for more than two years “on a fabricated case” were yet to be released along with their 39 fishing boats.
She urged Dr.Singh to ensure that the matter was immediately taken up at the highest diplomatic level for the immediate release of the 177 Tamil Nadu fishermen and their 44 boats.
“All our fishermen and their boats should be released prior to the talks scheduled on 13.3.2014 at Colombo,” she added.
