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Q.353 Detention and violence against fishermen
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.353
TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.02.2011
SHRI D. RAJA:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the attention of Government has been drawn into the incidents of detention and violence against Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy;
(b) whether it is a fact that a fisherman was killed in January this year when Sri Lankan Navy opened fire on his boat off the Pudukottai coast; and
(c) if so, the details of such incidents and the steps that were taken by Government to take up the matter with Sri Lankan Government to protect the Indian fishermen?
ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)
(a) to (c) On 12th January, 2011, an Indian fishing trawler is reported to have been fired at allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy resulting in an Indian fisherman Mr. Pandiyan being killed. The Indian trawler was on the Sri Lankan side of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). A second incident took place on 22-23 January, 2011 where one Indian fisherman Mr. Jaikumar died in the waters between India and Sri Lanka by strangulation allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy personnel. The Sri Lankan Government have denied any involvement of their Navy in either of these incidents.
In two separate incidents in February, 2011, 112 Indian fishermen and 24 Indian fishermen respectively were surrounded by Sri Lankan fishermen, apprehended and handed over to Sri Lankan police custody. They were apprehended in Sri Lankan waters near Jaffna/Point Pedro. All 136 Indian fishermen were subsequently released.
As soon as the news of the death of our fishermen in January, 2011 was received, the Government had immediately taken up the matter with the Government of Sri Lanka and we had expressed our deep concern at these incidents. We emphasized that resort to firing or use of force in such situation had no justification. To underline the seriousness with which Government viewed these developments, Foreign Secretary visited Sri Lanka from January 30-31, 2011 to convey Government of India’s strong concern over the killing of our fishermen. She also called on H.E. President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka. During his meeting on 7th February 2011 with Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister Prof. Peiris in Thimpu, EAM took up strongly the issue of these two deaths and conveyed our deep concern on the violence against our fishermen.
A Joint Statement was issued during Foreign Secretary’s visit in January, 2011 where both sides agreed that the use of force cannot be justified under any circumstances. The Sri Lankan Government reiterated their commitment to ascertaining the facts behind the incidents, though they have denied the involvement of Sri Lankan Navy in these incidents of deaths. Both sides agreed that the October 2008 Understanding on Fishing Arrangements had led to a decrease in incidents and that there was need to discuss further arrangements so as to strengthen the safety and security of the fishermen. It was decided that the next meeting of the Joint Working Group on Fishing would be convened at an early date and contacts between the fishermen associations of both countries encouraged.