Sri Lankan Navy arrests 32 Tamil Nadu fisherfolk

At least 32 fisherfolk from Rameswaram, Thangachimadam and nearby areas in Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly poaching in the Palk Strait, near Mannar, on Sunday morning, reported The Hindu.

Five trawlers were also seized. One of them belongs to fisherman leader Jesu Raja from Thangachimadam, the newspaper reported.

The fishers were taken to a naval base after their arrest. Their catch was also seized.

The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested over 100 Tamil Nadu fishers and seized 20 trawlers this year. Sri Lankan courts have recently imposed heavy fines and jail terms on some fisherfolk citing repeat offences.

In an emergency meeting convened on Sunday, fisherfolk associations in Rameswaram called for an indefinite strike to protest such actions by Colombo.

Raja told The Hindu on Sunday: “We have been pleading with the Central government to arrange for a meeting with the Sri Lankan Northern Province fisherfolk leaders as they have been raising objections.”

“We want to draw the attention of the Union and State governments to help us in this hour of crisis,” said R Sagayam, a fisherfolk leader, adding that the associations’ next course of action would be announced in a day or two.

An unidentified fisherfolk leader in Rameswaram told The Hindu that the authorities in Sri Lanka planned to auction 67 trawlers, including...

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