Entering Lankan waters:
Indian fishermen apologize
Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Minister
Douglas Devananda yesterday said over 100 Indian fishermen who were
arrested after entering into Sri Lankan waters have apologized for their
mistake.
Devananda who is also the leader of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP)
told the media that the Indian fishermen have accepted their fault and
have sought pardon from the Sri Lankan authorities.
He made this statement after visiting the Indian fishermen who were
arrested by the Point Pedro Police in Jaffna Tuesday evening.
According to the Minister, the Indian fishermen have asked the local
authorities to facilitate their return to India. Sri Lankan fishermen
had intercepted a group of Indian fishermen and arrested them along with
18 trawlers and handed them over to Police.
The Magistrate ordered them to be remanded until February 28.
The Sri Lankan Navy had no involvement over the incident, a Navy
official said. “We did not intervene as the local fishermen rounded up
the intruders and seized their trawlers after they were caught fishing
in Sri Lankan waters,” a naval sources said according to news.lk
Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna said he had
communicated his protest to Sri Lankan counterpart G L Peiris, but added
that he was keen to diffuse the situation, AFP reported yesterday.
“I conveyed India’s deep concern at the detention of 136 fishermen in
Jaffna district,” Krishna told reporters in New Delhi. |