The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Get fishermen freed, Manmohan urged

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 26, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Get fishermen freed, Manmohan urged

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, NOV. 25. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today sought the intervention of the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, and the External Affairs Minister, K. Natwar Singh, to secure the release of 33 Tamil Nadu fishermen and 98 boats detained in Sri Lanka.

In a letter to Dr. Singh, she referred to the arrest of 12 Rameswaram fishermen on Wednesday on the charge that they crossed the International Boundary Line.

Ms. Jayalalithaa recalled that she had been writing letters, bringing to his notice instances of Tamil Nadu fishermen being taken into custody by the island Navy on similar charges.

The fishermen depended on fishing in the waters around Katchatheevu but the Sri Lankan Navy repeatedly prevented them from doing so.

Long-term solution

"I have been urging the Government of India that a long-term solution should be found to protect the traditional rights and privileges of Indian fishermen to carry on their normal occupation of fishing in these waters".

Ms. Jayalalithaa requested "personal intervention" by the Prime Minister "immediately through diplomatic channels to secure the release of all our fishermen and their boats now in the custody of the Sri Lankan Government."

In a separate letter to Mr. Natwar Singh, she urged him to find a permanent solution to the issue "without further delay."

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