Fishermen on indefinite strike: demand release of 53 arrested by Lank
Rameswaram, Mar 15 : Demanding unconditional release of 53 Tamil fishermen incarcerated by Sri Lankan navy, the mechanised boat fishermen of Island town of Rameswaram, a major Marine Food Centre in South India, began an indefinite strike, today.
Disclosing this to newspersons, S.Emerit, Secretary of Rameswaram Mechanised Fishermen Association said a
resolution to this effect was adopted at an emergency meeting of leaders of all mechanised boat fishermen associations, held here this noon. "The fishermen will boycott fishing activities until all the 53 fishermen were released unconditionally by the Sri Lankan government," he said.
He said the meeting resolved to picket Central government offices on March 22 and thereafter will resort to rail roko agitation to draw the attention of the Indian government on the plight of the fishermen, who were often victimised by the Srilankan navy.
The meeting urged the Centre to protect the lives, livelihood and restore traditional fishing rights of Tamil fishermen.