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Problems of fisherman of Tamil Nadu straying in the Sri Lankan waters

By K.T.Rajasingham

Rameswaram, 17 September, (Asiantribune.com):

Recently accusation are being continuously leveled by Tamil Nadu fishermen, who use to stray into the Sri Lankan waters, about they being harassed, assaulted, shot at and chased by the Sri Lankan Navy.

As the accusations of the Tamil Nadu fishermen continues unabatedly, Asian Tribune contacted U. Arulanandam, Tamil Nadu President of Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF), for his comments and observations.

Asian Tribune also pointed out the statement made by S.M.Krishna in the floor of the Lok Sabah on 27 August, “Hon’ble Members also referred to fishing rights for Indian fishermen at Kachchativu Island. I wish to bring to the attention of the august House that our fishermen have access to visit the Island for rest, for drying of nets and for the annual St. Anthony’s Festival, and that the rights do not cover fishing around Kachchativu Island.”

Indian External Affairs Minister also added, “I would like to inform this august House that almost all instances of arrest and harassment of our fishermen seem to have occurred in Sri Lankan waters, when our fishermen stray across the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).”

These statements of the Indian Minister of External Affairs clearly indicate the undisciplined nature of the Tamil Nadu fishermen and Tamil Nadu Government’s unprincipled approach to maintain law and order in the state.

Given below excerpts of the interview with U. Arulanandam, Tamil Nadu President of Alliance for Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF):

Asian Tribune: Recently when the External Affairs Minister making a statement in the floor of Lok Sabah, Indian Parliament), said that Tamil Fishermen from Tamil Nadu has no right to fish around the isle of Katchativu. “Hon’ble Members also referred to fishing rights for Indian fishermen at Kachchativu Island.

I wish to bring to the attention of the august House that our fishermen have access to visit the Island for rest, for drying of nets and for the annual St. Anthony’s Festival, and that the rights do not cover fishing around Kachchativu Island” External Affairs Minister clarifies India’s position regarding Sri Lankan Tamil’s issues

U. Arulanantham: Yes he has made such a statement.

Asian Tribune: What is your opinion about such a statement by the India’s Minister of External Affairs?

U. Arulanantham: Yes the fishing rights of the Tamil Nadu fishermen is not in the Agreement. The Agreement was entered between the India and Sri Lanka Governments. After the gaining independence, both governments have come up with such an agreement. These agreements were entered in 1974 and 1976.

We are not aware of such agreement. But our fishermen, Indo - Lankan fishermen are involved in fishing in that narrow sea strip for several hundred years and we were in such practice historically.

Therefore both governments should have invited those fishermen who were historically involved in fishing and discussed with them.

It was a mistake on the part of both governments entering into an agreement without listening to the views of those fishermen who were involved in fishing historically.

Even I can cite another example that according to the international perspective the earlier agreement in 1964 between Lal Bahdur Shastri and Srimavo Bandaranaike is criticized as an agreement entered about beasts and not about human beings.

Similarly, we consider the two maritime agreements entered between the two countries are being considered by us as another agreement similar to that Srimavo - Shastri agreement which treated people as beast as criticized by the international community.

Therefore, we are not prepared to accept those agreements as stated.

Even though, even after the 1976 agreement they are unable to stop the fishing rights of the Tamil Nadu fishermen. Anyhow, there is an inherent true element that due to this activity, Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen are being affected.

We are duty bound to give recognition to this stark reality and we have invited those fishermen representatives more than two or three times and had discussions with them.

If our discussions have to succeed, both governments must come forward to implement our decisions. If the Lanka Indian Governments come forward to adopt correct and acceptable actions only, this issue would be sorted out.

It must be remembered that wherever the fish moves, the fishermen will also go after it. Wherever there is fish, the fishermen will be also there, in that particular location.

This is a hunting field. There are no stipulations and conditions for those involved in hunting. They can hunt anywhere they want.

The fishermen are only after fish and up to date not a single fishermen has been arrested on an allegation that they were involved in any smuggling activities or they were in possession of any weapons and none of them are in jails for such crimes in any prisons.

Fishermen are being arrested for straying into other country’s territorial waters and subsequently they are being released.

Asian Tribune: But hundreds of Sri Lankan fishermen are still languishing in Indian jails without being released?

U Arulanandam: They are not in any jails in Tamil Nadu. They must be in the jails in Orissa, Andhra and in Andaman Nicobar. But there are no Sri Lankan fishermen detained in Tamil Nadu and no Tamil Nadu fishermen held in Sri Lanka. These matters come under the purview of the External Affairs Ministries of Sri Lanka and India. They must come up with ways to tackle those fishermen arrested and jailed beyond the borders of the State of Tamil Nadu.

Asian Tribune: I wish to state that the agreement that was finally entered in 1976 was not about the fisher folks or about Katchativu, but it is all about the maritime boundaries of the two countries. Regarding the matter of maritime boundary, there are two aspects – my country’s boundary and your country’s boundary. When defining the maritime boundary Katchativu has fallen within the maritime boundary of Sri Lanka.

U Arulanandam: Yes .. yes, it falls two kilometers inside Sri Lankan boundary.

Asian Tribune: Under this circumstance, I wish to point out something said by the Indian External Affairs Minister in his speech in the Lok Sabah. There is no room in the 1976, final maritime boundary agreement, for nets to be dried up, or participating in the St. Anthony Church Feast by the Indian fishermen.

U. Arulanantham: There is provision in the 1976 agreement …

Asian Tribune: This provision is only found in the 1974 Agreement.

U.Arulanantham: So you mean to say that there is no provisions in the 1976 Agreement for the Indian fishermen to visit Katchativu to rest, dry their nets and also to participate in the annual St. Anthony’s Church Festival?

Asian Tribune: There is no provisions. Only you have such provisions in the 1974 Agreement, but the 1976 Agreement supersedes the 1974 Agreement.

It must be remembered that Army, Navy and Air force are in a country to protect that country. Therefore, when somebody trespasses into the territorial waters of Sri Lanka, then , Sri Lanka Navy which is a state organ meant to safeguard Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, will arrest such persons for trespassing and also for poaching.

U. Arulananthan: Yes I agree. But those persons trespassing should be treated humanely.

Asian Tribune: Whenever Tamil Nadu fishermen were confronted and chased away or arrested, it has become the usual ploy of the fishermen to allege that Sri Lankan Navy – to sensationalize, as they say ‘Sinhala Navy’ harassed them, assaulted them, deliberately treated them inhumanly, are the usual allegations the Tamil Nadu fishermen use to make. We are of the opinion, as you said earlier Government leaders of both countries should meet and discuss these issues.

It is unfortunate that the Tamil Nadu Government never take any follow up action against those persons who are released from Sri Lanka. This means that Tamil Nadu Government condone trespassing and encourage illegal acts. There has to be provisions in the country’s laws that those willfully trespasses into Sri Lankan waters, that person has to be tried and punished by any courts in Tamil Nadu for wilfully tresspassing into another country's borders, even after they are released by the Sri Lanka Government on the request of the Central Government of India.

U. Aruklanantham: Yes, you may have a point, but the concerned leaders should speak.

Asian Tribune: I wish to bring to your notice, recently when I was in touch with Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Minister Dr. Rajith Senaratne, he said that no one has the right to fish in Sri Lankan Territorial Waters. Because he said this sea is the only place for Sri Lankan fishermen to fish. He said, when viewing at the satellite pictures, nearly 600 to 1000 fishing boats which begins to set sail daily from Rameswaram and other southern fishing harbors, are seen coming straight into the Sri Lankan territorial waters. They come even very closer to point Pedro, Jaffna, Delft Islands to fish. This is poaching and overexploiting of the fishing grounds of Sri Lanka. But Indian medias are purposely making it an issue.

If distorted versions continued and allowed to be spread, it might endanger the friendly relationship India enjoys with Sri Lanka. Therefore kindly be warned of the serious consequences in the future.

U. Arulanantham: It is unfortunate that the political leaders are not fully aware of these issues.

Asian Tribune: In anywhere in the world the understandings of the political leaders are all based on votes and not on rhyme or reasons.

Arulanantham: Yeah ..

Asian Tribune: But Tamil Nadu Chief Minister when making a statement for the first time, she very clearly said, “The Tamil Nadu Fishermen strayed into the Sri Lankan Waters.” She used this word initially, but subsequently she refrained from using such word - Straying. Therefore you people who are leaders of fishermen associations … What are you all planning to do to break this deadlock?

U. Arulanantham : For us so far, Indian Government has not given any alternative solution to this issue. I think it is high time that Indian and Sri Lankan Government should meet, discuss and find an acceptable solution to the issue of the Indian fishermen. This is a very narrow stretch of sea and the Adams bridge is preventing us from going to the other side for fishing. Therefore for the fishermen living in this Palk Bay, no alternate step has been so far provided by the Indian Government.

Asian Tribune: Mr. Arulanandam, you are from which area in Tamil Nadu?

U. Arulanantham: I am from Rameswaram.

Asian Tribune: At this point of time I wish to reveal one fact to you.

U. Arulanantham: Tell me.

Asian Tribune: As Katchativu which is an integral part of Sri Lanka, Rameswaram during the Ramayana days was also an integral part of Sri Lanka.
Ramayana clearly reveals that a big part of South India was under the suzerainty of Ravanan the Tamil king of Lanka.

We will discuss this issue some other time.

Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant is a nuclear power station currently under construction in Koodankulam in the Tirunelveli district of the southernIndian state of Tamil Nadu. Project investment cost to India was estimated to be US$ 3 billion (Rs.13,615 Crores) in a 2001 agreement.

As of October 2011, thousands of protesters and villagers living around the plant, are blocking highways and staging hunger strikes, preventing further construction work, as they believe that the nuclear plant is unsafe. On November 6th, 2011 Former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam visited the Plant and expressed his satisfaction about the Safety of the Plant. 

As of October 2011, thousands of protesters and villagers living around the Russian-built Koodankulam nuclear plant in the southern Tamil Nadu province, are blocking highways and staging hunger strikes, preventing further construction work, and demanding its closure as they distrust federal government assurances regarding safety. They fear there will be a nuclear accident similar to the radiation leak in March at Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster.

According to SP Udayakumar, of the voluntary People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy, "the nuclear plant is unsafe" and "the safety analysis report and the site evaluation study have not been made public. No public hearing was held. It's an authoritarian project that has been imposed on the people." Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told Tamil Naud Chief Minister J Jayalalitha that "all precautions would be taken at the Koodankulam nuclear plant to maintain the highest safety standards".

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has also been filed against the government’s civil nuclear program at the apex Supreme Court. The PIL specifically asks for the "staying of all proposed nuclear power plants till satisfactory safety measures and cost-benefit analyses are completed by independent agencies".

Kalam suggests 10-point development programme for Kudankulam

Following are Kalam's 10 points or, what we could call Koodan 'Kalam':

1. Construction of a four-lane highway connecting Kudankulam and villages 30 km around it with Madurai, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari,

2. A world-class hospital with over 500 beds, mobile medical facilities to locals and

3. Creation of 10,000 jobs to people in the radius of 30 to 60 km

4. Bank loans to youth with up to 25 per cent subsidy.

5. Creating infrastructure facilities like construction of green houses, multi-storeyed housing complex, and playgrounds.

6. Fishermen in the area should be provided with motorboats, small jetties and fish cold storage facilities.

7. Provide one million litres of drinking water through desalination process and water should be brought from Pechiparai reservoir in Kanyakumari district for agriculture and drinking water needs.

8. Setting up of five CBSE and state government syllabus schools with hostel facilities

9. Connecting all villages through broadband Internet and

10. Setting up of Disaster Protection and Management Centre and guiding selected youth to get permanent employment.

In his study report submitted to the state government, Kalam also suggested creating infrastructure facilities like construction of green houses, multi-storeyed housing complex, and playgrounds.

He said fishermen in the area should be provided with motorboats, small jetties and fish cold storage facilities.

Kalam, a strong advocate of nuclear power, and who prepared the report along with his advisor V. Ponraj, said: "Efforts should be made to remove people's fears by providing relevant information and with their full co-operation, the plant should start functioning as scheduled to enable Tamil Nadu to get 1000 MW power."

No tsunami theat

The Koodankulam plant, Kalam said, is located in seismic zone II where there is no chance of an earthquake with a magnitude of 6 point on Richter scale.

The reactor building is built in such a way as to tolerate such an earthquake. On the tsunami threat, the Kalam report states that the site is located about 1,500 km from the tsunamigenic fault (where tsunamis originate).

Hence, geologically and scientifically, there is no chance of a tsunami hitting the Kudankulam coast, according to the report. Even if there is a tsunami, the waves will lose energy by the time they strike the Kudankulam site.

If there is a tsunami, wave height would not exceed 5.44 metres, whereas the reactor is located at 8.7 metres height, turbine plant at 8.1 metres, diesel generators at 9.3 metres height, and switch yard at a height of 13 metres, the report states.

According to Kalam, the reactor will automatically shut down in three minutes flat in case of natural disasters like earthquakes or tsunamis.

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Corruption In India

All luxury corrupts either the morals or the state.

- Joubert

Corruption in the Indian society has prevailed from time immemorial in one form or the other. The basic inception of corruption started with our opportunistic leaders who have already done greater damage to our nation. People who work on right principles are unrecognized and considered to be foolish in the modern society. Corruption in India is a result of the connection between bureaucrats, politicians and criminals. Earlier, bribes were paid for getting wrong things done, but now bribe is paid for getting right things done at right time. Further, corruption has become something respectable in India, because respectable people are involved in it. Social corruption like less weighing of products, adulteration in edible items, and bribery of various kind have incessantly prevailed in the society.

In today’s scenario, if a person wants a government job he has to pay lakhs of rupees to the higher officials irrespective of satisfying all the eligibility criteria. In every office one has either to give money to the employee concerned or arrange for some sources to get work done. There is adulteration and duplicate weighing of products in food and civil supplies department by unscrupulous workers who cheat the consumers by playing with the health and lives of the people. In the assessment of property tax the officers charge money even if the house is built properly according to the Government rules and regulations.

Political corruption is worst in India. The major cause of concern is that corruption is weakening the political body and damaging the supreme importance of the law governing the society. Nowadays politics is only for criminals and criminals are meant to be in politics. Elections in many parts of the country have become associated with a host of criminal activities. Threatening voters to vote for a particular candidate or physically prevent voters from going in to the polling booth – especially weaker sections of the society like tribals, dalits and rural woman occurs frequently in several parts of the country. Recently, the Government increased the salary of the M.P.’s from Rs.16, 000 to Rs.50, 000, that is 300% increase to the existing salary. But many of them are unhappy with rise and want the Government to increase the salary to a much more extent. This clearly shows how the politicians are in constant thirst for monetary benefits and not caring about the welfare of the people. Tax evasion is one of the most popular forms of corruption. It is mostly practiced by Government officials and politicians who lead to the accumulation of black money which in turn spoils the moral of the people.

Major Factors Responsible For Corruption:

1. The most important factor is the nature of the human being. People in general, have a great thirst for luxuries and comforts and as a result of which they get themselves involved in all unscrupulous activities that result in monetary or material benefits.
2. Moral and spiritual values are not given utmost importance in educational system, which is highly responsible for the deterioration of the society.
3. The salary paid to employees is very less and as a result of which they are forced to earn money by illegal ways.
4. The punishments imposed on the criminals are inadequate.
   1. The political leaders have spoiled the society completely. They lead a luxurious life and do not even care about the society.
   2. People of India are not awakened and enlightened. They fear to raise their voice against anti-social elements prevailing in the society.

Measures To Control Corruption:

There are some specific measures to control increasing corruption.

1. The Right to Information Act (RTI) gives one all the required information about the Government, such as what the Government is doing with our tax payments. Under this act, one has the right to ask the Government on any problem which one faces. There is a Public Information Officer (PIO) appointed in every Government department, who is responsible for collecting information wanted by the citizens and providing them with the relevant information on payment of a nominal fee to the PIO. If the PIO refuses to accept the application or if the applicant does not receive the required information on time then the applicant can make a complaint to the respective information commission, which has the power to impose a penalty up to Rs.25, 000 on the errant PIO.
2. Another potent check on corruption is Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). It was setup by the Government to advise and guide Central Government agencies in the areas of vigilance. If there are any cases of corruption or any complaints thereof, then that can be reported to the CVC. CVC also shoulders the responsibility of creating more awareness among people regarding the consequences of giving and taking of bribes and corruption.
3. Establishment of special courts for speedy justice can be a huge positive aspect. Much time should not elapse between the registration of a case and the delivery of judgment.
4. Strong and stringent laws need to be enacted which gives no room for the guilty to escape.
5. In many cases, the employees opt for corrupt means out of compulsion and not by choice. Some people are of the opinion that the wages paid are insufficient to feed their families. If they are paid better, they would not be forced to accept bribe.

The one thing that needs to be ensured is proper, impartial, and unbiased use of various anti-social regulations to take strong, deterrent, and timely legal action against the offenders, irrespective of their political influences or money power. Firm and strong steps are needed to curb the menace and an atmosphere has to created where the good, patriotic, intellectuals come forward to serve the country with pride, virtue, and honesty for the welfare of the people of India.