Fishermen Protest in Rameswaram for Release of 74 Fishermen and Boats Seized by Sri Lankan Navy
Fisherfolk in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, staged a protest on Friday to demand the immediate release of 74 fishermen who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy this year. They also called for the release of 170 steamboats and country boats seized by the Lankan Navy.
The protesters appealed for the release of six fishermen who had already been sentenced to imprisonment in Sri Lanka. From 2018 to 2024, the Sri Lankan Navy seized a total of 170 boats belonging to Tamil Nadu fishermen.
The fisherfolk demanded compensation from the central and Tamil Nadu governments for any damage to their boats. The protest was organized by the Fishermen of Rameswaram and the Pampan All Fishermen Federation near the Rameswaram bus station.
Local leaders, including Ramanathapuram Assembly Member Katharpatsa Muthuramalingam, Tamil Nadu Aquaculture Association President Gauthaman, Fishermen Congress National President Armstrong, Kanyakumari MP Vijayvasant, Tirunelveli MP Robert Bruce, Congress Legislative Party Leader Rajeskumar, former Mandapam Union Secretary V.C. Kanagarajan, and Rameswaram Municipal Chairman Nazarkhan, joined the protest along with thousands of fishermen and fisherwomen.
On July 11, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 13 Indian fishermen and seized three boats near Delft Island in the Palk Bay Sea area. On July 1, they apprehended 26 Indian fishermen and seized four boats from the same area. The fishermen had gone fishing from Pamban in the Rameswaram Island area.
Sri Lanka’s State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya commented on the situation, stating, “This is a persistent problem. But I also think that especially the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and the people of Tamil Nadu should realise that the people in the north and east have suffered the most during the war. After 30 years’ war, for 30 years they suffered because of the war.”
Doubts Revealed
Rameswaram -: Rameswaram is a town in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India. It is known for its fishing community and is close to the sea.
Sri Lankan Navy -: The Sri Lankan Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of Sri Lanka, a country near India. They patrol the waters around Sri Lanka.
Fisherfolk -: Fisherfolk are people who catch fish for a living. In this context, it refers to the fishermen and their families in Rameswaram.
Tamil Nadu -: Tamil Nadu is a state in southern India. It has a long coastline and many people there depend on fishing for their livelihood.
Protest -: A protest is when people gather to show that they are unhappy about something and want it to change. In this case, the fishermen are unhappy about their friends and boats being taken by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Imprisonment -: Imprisonment means being put in jail. The six fishermen mentioned have been sentenced to stay in jail for some time.
Compensation -: Compensation is money or help given to someone to make up for a loss or damage. The fishermen want compensation for their damaged boats.
Traditional areas -: Traditional areas are places where people have been doing certain activities, like fishing, for a long time. The fishermen want to fish in the areas where their families have fished for generations.
Apprehended -: Apprehended means being caught or arrested. The fishermen were caught by the Sri Lankan Navy while they were fishing.
