‘Our Government inherits the question’: EAM answers Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar. |Picture source: x@drsjaishankar

Minister of External Affairs S Jashanker said in the plight of Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka during the issue of Rajya Sabha that the current government inherited the situation due to events dating back to 1974 and 1976.

Mr Jaishankar detailed the legal framework of Sri Lanka, saying: “Sri Lanka has two laws – the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act of 1996, and the fishery regulation of foreign fishing vessels in 1979. Both bills were amended in 2018 and 2023, providing for sharper judgments, larger naming and larger wills.”

Many of these sentences serving sentences were ship owners, captains or repeat offenders, complicating the resolution work, he explained. He noted that the “root cause” of the ongoing problems related to the detention of Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka began in 1974, when extracted on the international maritime border line, and subsequently exchanged letters with the fishing jurisdiction designated by Sri Lanka in 1976.

“The house realizes that in a sense, our government has inherited the problem. This question began in 1974, when it was extracted on the international maritime border line, followed by an exchange of letters in 1976. The fishing jurisdiction was demarcated. These decisions are the root cause of the situation,” EAM said in response to a question raised by DMK MP MP Tiruchi Siva.

Mr Jaishanakar further pointed out that due to geographical proximity, most of the fishermen detained in Sri Lanka were from Tamil Nadu and Pondieri.

“Because this is Sri Lanka, it’s natural that most fishermen will come from Tamil Nadu and Bendicheri,” he said.

Mr Jaishankar said: “Until yesterday, there were 86 Indian fishermen in custody of Sri Lankan.

According to officials, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 11 Tamil Nadu fishermen and took them to Kangesanthurai Naval Camp for investigation earlier on Thursday.

According to Ramswaram Fishermen Association, 11 Tamil Nadu fishermen were arrested during a boat fishing in the Bay of Bengal, Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, seven fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy today have been released from prison and arrived at Chennai Airport in Tamil Nadu today.

Four fishermen were arrested on February 20, and three others were arrested on February 22, allegedly cross-border fishing.