Twelve Lankan fishermen released

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

Twelve Sri Lankan fishermen held in Indian jails for over three months for violating Indian Maritime Zones are being released by Indian Courts. They will arrive in Sri Lanka this morning. Sources at Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department said, another group of 20 fishermen, who were in Indian custody from December last year for illegally entering Indian territorial waters, are waiting to return to their families in Sri Lanka being released by the Indian authorities.

The second group of 20 fishermen will be returned to the country within the next week after repatriation orders to be issued by the Indian Foreign Ministry, sources said.

They will be brought to the country by sea. An Indian Coast Guard ship will bring them to Indo-Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line and will hand over them to Sri Lanka Navy, Ministry sources said.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Rajitha Senaratna yesterday thanking the Indian Government for releasing the fishermen said he plans to visit to India next moth to discuss the problems of Sri Lankan fishermen.

He said, he expects to obtain release of Sri Lankan fishermen who have been held in Indian custody for straying into their EEZ.

The fishermen and their boats were arrested by Indian Coast Guard for crossing their Marintime boundaries on February 23 and March 07.

The boats were namely Rohana Putha that went out to the sea from Devinuwara, Hiran Putha from Kalpitiya and Chamidu Putha from Trincomalee with five-member crew on each boat.

Of the 15 fishermen arrested 12 have been released so far. Three have been kept for legal requirements, according to them.

The Ministry's Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department has spent over Rs. Rs.1,500,000 so far to bring the released fishermen from India into the country this year.