The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Myanmarese fishermen look forward to returning home

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 03, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Myanmarese fishermen look forward to returning home

R.K. Radhakrishnan

STRANDED: Four Myanmar fishermen with G. Gurumurthy, general secretary, Overseas Indian Organisation (left), in Chennai on Friday. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI: Four Myanmarese fishermen who had drifted into the shores of Tamil Nadu about two months ago ask one question to anyone who talk to them: "when will we be allowed to go home?"

"There is no answer. At least I have no answer," says R. Gurumurthy, who runs the Overseas Indians Organisation (OIO). Though repatriation or deportation of fishermen is a routine affair, it sometimes takes a long time for no apparent reason. His organisation has been looking after Muang Zaw, Aung Ohn Myint, Soe Myint and Maung Thein Twe.

The four thought that their miseries ended when their bamboo barge was towed by Kovalam fishermen and brought ashore on December 6 last year. But they were questioned and later jailed. The OIO brought them out on bail.

"It is not only that they cannot go home. They are treated like any ordinary offender. All the four have to go each day to Kasimedu Police station and sign a register," said Mr. Gurumurthy. This was not the case with any of the earlier cases handled by the Organisation. It appealed to the Tamil Nadu Government to withdraw cases filed against them so that the Nodal Committee, chaired by the Chennai Collector, can declare them innocent. This would aid in quicker repatriation, he said.

"We have to spend Rs.100 each day to take them to the police station. Plus we have to spend on their food. It is difficult for us and also for them. Each passing day they keep asking us when they will be able to go home," he added. The four are now staying at Guru Chandra Malikai, a marriage hall run by Mr.Gurumurthy in MKB Nagar.

Mr.Gurumurthy says that the fishermen had sent letters to their families in Pyaphon, located in the southern part of Myanmar. They have also informed the Myanmar Embassy and had submitted the details sought in the prescribed format. But the wait continues.

Talking about the manner in which they landed on Indian shores, they said their barge was anchored in the Bay of Bengal. Suddenly, there was heavy wind. The anchor snapped and they began drifting. They lived on small fish that jumped onto the barge. They made a sail of the cloth they had and drifted along with the winds. A few days later, they located a lighthouse, which happened to be the Kovalam lighthouse.

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