Fisher women conference and rally in Delhi : National Fishworkers' Forum (NFF)

Ilengo M M.Ilango Ex. M.L.A. Chairperson , National Fishworkers’ Forum (NFF) Member, Co-Ordination Committee of World Forum of Fisher People (WFFP)

In a press meet held at the office of the National Fishworkers’ forum at Puducherry, today at 11 am, Mr. M. Ilango, Ex MLA, and Chairperson of NFF, said the following:

A meet of the fisher leaders of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry of India and the North and North East province of Sri Lanka was held on 2^nd Nov at New Delhi regarding fishing issues in the Palk Bay area.

It was expected that the issues discussed in this meeting that was convened by the Ministry of External Affairs will be given final shape in the high level meeting of the ministers of the two countries held on 5^th Nov a decisions will be made accordingly. But however, after the meet of fisheries ministers of both the countries yesterday, no decisions were announced. The information we are parted with is very disappointing.

Over 115  boats  of  Indian  fishermen  are  under the custody of  Sri Lanka  since 24-02-2015. They are lying in open grounds for the past 20 months facing the wrath of rough weathers.  The fishermen were of high hopes that a decision will be arrived regarding the boats under Srilanka custody, as the rough weather season of the year is nearing.

But the announcement that a decision will be taken only on the meeting of joint working group consisting of officials of both countries to be held on 2017 Jan 2^nd is very disappointing. The assets of middle income group fishermen valuing to the tune of   Rs. 60 crore will further deteriorate in this year’s monsoon and that cannot be accepted. The fishermen who are disappointed are pushed to further mental depression.

A high level joint commission is already existing and so a new joint working group committee is to be formed is a fraudulent announcement. Further the announcement that this committee will meet every third month and the Ministers meeting will be held every 6 months is a futile act of diverting the attention.

No new decision is made in this high level Ministers level meeting, then what will happen in a officials level joint working group. Ever since the new government formed in Sri Lanka under The Hon’ble President ship of  Shri Maithripala Sirisena, the fishermen who are arrested are released in a few days.

The decision made in yesterday meeting of providing communication tracking sets for the fishermen so as to know where they are and to have a better patrolling by the Navy of both the countries will only result in preventing Indian fishermen venturing into the Palk Bay.

No fishermen  enters into the waters of the other countries owing to their ignorance of the region. Everyone  knows that they do it knowingly as their urge to eke out a livelihood makes them do so. They seem to have come to the decision that the fishermen who cross the border will not shot at and there should be no violence by coastguards and navy.

Ever since the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009, till 2013 only a one or two shooting incidents have happened. In the last 3 years no such incidents been reported. Therefore this decision is meaningless. In sum the higher level meeting between the two countries have ended up as a futile meet.

Fisher Women Conference:

The Tamil Nadu fisher women conference is to be held at Ramnad on 8^th of this month. Shri. Beela Rajesh the Commissioner for Fisheries will be participating as a Chief Guest and providing key note address in this meeting. Mr. M. Ilango the Chairperson of NFF will be presiding over the meeting.

Fisheries experts and fisher women leaders are expected to deliberate in this event. Thousands of fisher women from the 13 coastal districts of Tamil Nadu are participating in this event.

Rally in New Delhi:

A massive rally is planned to be held at New Delhi on 21^st of this month to resist the effort of coastal land grabbing of vested interests by displacing the fisher people from the coast. Thousands of fisher people are expected to participate in this rally which would be presided over by Shri. M. Ilango, Chairperson of NFF.