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Lanka
rejects New Delhi's licence proposal, proposes clear demarcation
of territorial waters and increased patrolling But Indian High Commission spokesperson Nagma Malik said the issue was still being discussed between both Governments. 'The Government of India recognizes this issue as a recurring problem. We're discussing the problem to find a long-term solution," Ms. Malik said. During President Chandrika Kumaratunga's recent official visit to India, both Governments took up the matter and their joint statement said that both sides had decided to expedite the signing of an MoU on fisheries. The two governments also agreed to set up a joint working group, which would meet frequently to deal with this issue and explore the possibilities of working towards a bilateral arrangement for licensed fishing. The Sunday Times learns that as a follow-up action, the Sri Lankan government appointed a committee including officials from the Ministries of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Defence, Public Security and Foreign Affairs. The committee has recommended to the cabinet that the Navy should intensify patrolling in the area in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard Unit and the Sri Lankan law enforcement authorities should expedite legal action against Indian fishermen who encroach on Sri Lanka's territorial waters. Fisheries Ministry Secretary N. Bambarawanage said the committee recommended that the coast guard apparatus should be strengthened to control illegal encroaching. It also recommended that encroachers should be warned and chased away first and if they did not heed the warning, they should be prosecuted, he said. The fish-rich Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Bay areas had been the traditional fishing ground for fishermen of both countries. With the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Boundary Agreements of 1974 and 1976, fishermen of both countries had to limit fishing activities to their respective side. Poaching by Indian fishermen increased during the 20-year ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. During this period, the Sri Lankan government had imposed a fishing ban in the high seas off North-East coast and restricted fishing on the shallow waters as well. During this period, Sri Lankan Tamil refugees from fishing villages in the North and East had encouraged Indian fishermen to fish in Sri Lankan waters. With the ceasefire agreement between the government and the LTTE coming into force, fishing restrictions were relaxed and the government took steps to rehabilitate the fishing industry in the North. Together with these moves, the problems began to surface. Sri Lankan fishermen complained that their fishing gear was damaged by Indian fishermen who adopt ground-trawling method of fishing. There had been violent clashes between the fishermen of the two countries. "We're not in favour of any concession to Indian fishermen. We're not only losing fishing ground, but also our imported fishing nets. After the ceasefire came into effect and fishing activity was restored in the North, we have lost about 2000 fishing nets. The Indians are also causing harm to natural resources in our waters," said S. Thavaratnam, President of Jaffna District Fisheries Cooporative Union Federation. "Our fishing industry has been dealt a severe blow by the Indian fishermen. We want the Fisheries Minister to take immediate steps to stop the Indian fishermen from plundering our fish," he said adding that his federation had sought an appointment with the minister to discuss the matter further. According to the Fisheries Ministry and the Sri Lankan Navy, 57 Indian trawlers, which strayed into Sri Lankan waters, had been taken into custody and later confiscated. Sixty-one Indian fishermen have been in custody for nearly one year. From 1998 to December 2004, 22 Sri Lankan boats have been confiscated. Seventeen Sri Lankans have been arrested in the past one month alone and are still in Indian custody. Navy Spokesman Jayantha Perera said high-ranking naval officials from both countries met every six months to review the border security arrangements and discuss related problems. One of their recommendations was to clearly mark the boundary that divided the territorial waters of the two countries, he said. "If we come across Indian fishermen fishing in Sri-Lankan waters, we don't fire at them. The LTTE which operates in the area fires at the Indian fishermen and puts the blame on the Navy," Commodore Perera said. |
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