One more minor held by Sri Lanka navy

RAMESWARAM: Six fishermen from Rameswaram, including a minor, have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy. Around 500 boats left Rameswaram on Monday morning, but one boat belonging to Raju did not return until Tuesday morning. It was later revealed that the boat's crew members were apprehended by Sri Lankan navy near Talaimannar. B Jesuraja, district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Mechanised Boat Fishermen Association, said the boat had developed a snag after its propeller got entangled in the fishing net.

Samson, one of the apprehended crew members, was only 13 years old, said U Arulanandam of the Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen. "All six fishermen were handed over to fisheries department in Mannar. We will know if they are going to be produced before the court on Wednesday," Arulanandam said.

Samson is the second minor to be apprehended by the Sri Lankan navy in the last one week. Maria Rathinam, a 15-year-old boy, was among 15 fishermen who were arrested by the Lankan navy last week. Arulanandam says 75 minors have been held by Lankan navy since 1996. "In one incident in 2009, seven fishermen died in a Sri Lankan prison. One of them was a boy aged 13 years," he recalled. "Spotting young boys in country boats is common across our coast but minors working in mechanised boats, is a unique situation in Rameswaram," he said.

Acute poverty drives these boys towards this dangerous profession, say fishermen leaders. Another problem is alcoholism among family members. When sea-faring fathers are addicted to alcohol, minors have to work for the family's livelihood. "Alcoholism is rampant in Rameswaram coast where fishers throw away their hard-earned money on booze. In such situations, young boys drop out of school to support families," says M Patrick, panchayat president of Pamban.

In addition to dangers in high seas, minors will not be entitled to government benefits. Fishermen identity cards are issued to fishers when they turn 18. This card enables them to become a member of cooperative societies entitling them to compensation for imprisonment. "When fishermen are arrested, the state government gives Rs 250 per day as compensation. Samson will not get it since he is a minor," said a fisheries official in Chennai.

Meanwhile, chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday slammed the Sri Lankan regime, for what she called "totally inhumane approach and completely against the ethics of maritime search and rescue operations."

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister complained about the new trend of Sri Lankan Navy's tactics of harassing and intimidating Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, fishing in their traditional waters in the Palk Bay.

"Of late, the Sri Lankan Navy is targeting fishing boats stranded in mid-sea, due to adverse weather conditions or mechanical failure, as well as fishing boats that go to the rescue of such fellow fishermen in distress. These boats in distress and Indian fishermen on board are being apprehended and remanded to custody in Sri Lanka," Jayalalithaa said.

In the latest episode, one mechanised fishing boat, with six fishermen who set sail for fishing for Rameswaram fishing base on Monday, and was drifting due to a mechanical snag, had been apprehended by the Lankan Navy on Tuesday, the chief minister said.

Last week, as many as 15 fishermen were arrested from boats which were in distress in mid-sea. Two boats sank and the boat which went to their rescue was also captured. The 15 fishermen and one boat continue to be in Sri Lankan custody, Jayalalithaa said.

Stay updated on the go with The Times of India’s mobile apps. Click here to download it for your device.