Indian Fishermen do cross into Sri Lanka - Indian Coast Guard

[tramp]

whoa man, read the next paragraph :



that is from the Article VI of the agreement,



Plus the thing about the interpretation is only a side point, The main point is

1) why was the island transferred in the first place
2) why wasnt the agreement ratified till date in Indian parlieament.

There obviously is confusion regarding the interpretation of the multiple agreements. My point is one or more of the Tamil Nadu political parties has always been part of the Central government. When they are part of the government they fail to project the burning issues of the people properly. And as soon as they are out, there seems to be no end problems. Why is that so? Why are these leaders failing to use the proper forum to raise these issues and resolve them? Or do they want these issues to fester, giving them a handle on the perceived vote banks? And why are the people not questioning the leaders they elect why these issues have remained unresolved?
Guys, you will have to admit the politics of Tamil Nadu has to answer quite a lot for the mess that the issue has become.

 

[HEILTAMIL]

Agreed on that island, but there are other incidents too. How can you be sure every Indian fisherman is bonafide?

please look at the map them with the traditional/small fibre boats are attacked when they sail across palkbay/strait or when they are around katchatheevu when no action from Delhi they are attacked even near Indian coast
how can they reach the other side of lanka , why will they want to reach their coast on the other side, to get harrased voluntarily!!!

if they are fuel capable with better boats they would enter bay of bengal or the huge international ocean with untabbed resources
and calculate the fuel consumption for the too and fro

it is just a usual cooked up story propagated to make those poor chaps look demonic

 

[sorcerer]

All these political unrest between India and SL benefits China in their "String of Pearl " endeavour. On the SL side..its a WIN WIN situation for them.

Some issues needed to be handled without escalating too much into a National Level. Hope the Politicians take into account national interest than their Political Milege.

 

[ladder]

Govt mulls action against Indians fishing in Lankan waters

Subodh Ghildiyal & Indrani Bagchi, TNN | May 19, 2013, 03.32 AM IST

NEW DELHI: The government is planning "deterrent" action against Indian fishermen violating international waters with Sri Lanka, finding that trawlers and ships from this side are the biggest source of confrontation with the Emerald Isle.

The decision to slap penalties and even suspend the licences of fishermen who are repeat offenders of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) stems from their refusal to heed the earlier warnings.

Foreign minister Salman Khurshid spoke with his Lankan counterpart G L Peiris on Friday, seeking the release of 26 Indian fishermen in Colombo's custody. In response, Peiris asked for a meeting between the fishermen's associations of the two countries to resolve the issue.

This has Indian government stumped because of Tamil Nadu's rigid attitude, possibly for political reason. The TN government has stonewalled a meeting of fishermen's association, saying the atmosphere wasn't conducive for it. This has the Centre explore alternative venue — like Puducherry or Bangalore — for such a meeting. PM Manmohan Singh has personally weighed in on this with TN CM J Jayalalithaa as has Khurshid and the MEA brass, without any success.

At a recent meeting chaired by the foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai, the view veered towards the fact that Indian fishermen are crossing the IMBL to fish in Lankan waters with impunity. The meet emphasized that Indian fishing boats were routinely transgressing the IMBL, with the Indian Navy pegging the figure at 700-900 every day.

In a bid to enforce discipline, several long-term measures may soon be put in place. Besides deterrent penalty for violators and suspension of licence for repeat offenders, India may extend the "no fishing" period from the current 45 to 60 days and also during monsoons. New Delhi may set up a "no fishing zone" straddling IMBL and India-Lanka Marine Disputes Authority.

The move to rein in the Indian fishing community seeks to address the major flashpoint between New Delhi and Colombo, threatening the diplomatic detente besides emerging a polarizing issue in TN politics.

In addition, India might take more serious measures like a ban on bottom trawling and use of monofilament and twin fold nets, which are the main culprits from the Indian side. This is not allowed in most countries, but Indian fishermen use these equipment which destroy marine ecology and stop issuing licences to new trawlers from operating in the Palk Straits and the Gulf of Mannar.

Govt mulls action against Indians fishing in Lankan waters - The Times of India

 

[arnabmit]

Attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen not in Indian waters: Official - India - DNA
Wednesday, Nov 13, 2013, 17:38 IST | Agency: PTI

A top Indian Navy official today said there were no incidents of attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy in the country's waters and asserted that adequate patrolling, including vigil by UAV, was being maintained in the Palk Bay.

"With my information, I can say these reports of Indian fishermen being attacked by Sri Lankan Navy did not happen within our waters," Commodore Amar K Mahadevan, Naval Officer In-charge (Tamil Nadu and Puducherry) told reporters onboard the ship on the occasion of Navy Day celebrations.

Replying to a query on the reports of recurring attacks on fishermen from Tamil Nadu by Sri Lankan Navy, he said, "It is not in our borders, it did not happen in this (Indian) side of International Maritime Boundary Line. I have never come across attacks on this side. There may be fishermen versions of the incident".

His comments come at a time when the fishermen have been complaining about attacks on them by Lankan Naval personnel also in Indian waters, an issue that has also been taken up Chief Minister Jayalalithaa with the Centre.

At least one Navy and one Coast Guard ship each would always be patrolling in the Palk Bay area, in addition to the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the official said adding without Navy's knowledge 'none can attack our fishermen'.

Recalling his meeting with Lankan naval officials seven days ago on a regular six month meeting, he said, "We have raised these incidents with them. We are looking who are the outside players, if at all. We are at it." Endorsing his views, Rear Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command, said "These (reports) are not truly correct. Let me assure you that these incidents have not happened in Indian waters."

 

[Ray]

Island of blood: Indian fishermen await solution after stream of killings take place in Sri Lankan waters

The island is filling the waters around it with the blood of Indian fishermen. Katchatheevu, which is just fourteen nautical miles away from Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, has been in the eye of the storm with killings of Indian fishermen going near the island for better fish cash.....

Only if Indian leaders had been careful while giving the island which belonged to Ramnad kingdom. In 1974, Katchatheevu was given away to Sri Lanka through an agreement. However, it allowed Indian fishermen to have free access to Katchatheevu. But then the laws of International maritime boundary line and another agreement in 1976 took away the rights. Former Judge and expert on Katchatheevu feels that these agreements were marred by confusion.


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...hatheevu-rameshwaram-tamil-nadu/1/324669.html

The understanding is that Indian fishermen can operate in these waters.

It continues to be a part of India since the Parliament has not endorsed Nehru's gifting away this area to Sri Lanka, as if it were Nehru's paternal property.