This is politically a very important year for Tamil Nadu?it will see the future of many a politician and political party decided in the state. Assembly elections are due in April-May. While the ruling DMK is being cautious and tactful in maintaining its political alliance with the Congress, all other parties are also seeking convenient alliances and partners. But the AIADMK, the real opponent to DMK, led by J Jayalalitha is bent on ending what she has termed the ?minority DMK rule? and bringing her party back to power. She is not leaving any stone unturned to remove the DMK government, which she always calls the ?evil force?. The latest weapon for her to attack against the DMK government is the unfortunate killing of a Tamil Nadu fisherman, Veerapandian from Pudukottai, in the Palk Bay, allegedly by the firing from Sri Lankan Navy on January 12. Similar incidents have been occurring in this region since the 1970s.
Experts like Professor V Suryanarayana, an expert on South Asian issues, say that the root cause of such attacks in the Palk Bay is ?conflict of interests?. These began after the India-Sri Lanka maritime boundary agreements of 1974 and 1976. Critics say that these agreements placed the island of Kachativu in Sri Lankan territory and also gave up the traditional fishing rights of the Indian fishermen in and around the island. But neither the fishermen of India nor of Sri Lanka would ?give up the means of livelihood, which they have enjoyed for several centuries??.
Tamil Nadu has a coastline of 1,076 km. It has 13 coastal districts and 591 fishing villages with a total population of about 8.61 lakh, of which 2.60 lakh are actively engaged in fishing. The marine fishery resources comprise 1.9 lakh sq km of an exclusive economic zone and a continental shelf of about 41,412 sq km. The fishing fleet strength of Tamil Nadu includes 6,200 mechanised fishing crafts and 49,904 traditional crafts (vallams and catamarans). The biodiversity-rich Palk Bay, (130 km) and Gulf of Mannar (141 km) are important fishery resource centres for the state?s fishermen.
This region is also important for Sri Lanka. Reports say that about 38% of the island nation?s fisheries catch is from this area. Hence the conflict of interest and continual clashes. Since the conclusion of the maritime boundary agreements, a number of fishermen have been killed in incidents of firing by the Sri Lankan Navy, some have been detained, others have been intimidated and harassed, with their fishing boats destroyed and their catch dumped into the sea. The successive governments in Tamil Nadu, whether of the DMK or the AIADMK, have been maintaining that the 1974 agreement provided for the continuation of traditional fishing rights. But Sri Lanka has been maintaining that Indian fishermen do not have any fishing rights on the Sri Lankan side of the maritime boundary.
Following pressure from the DMK-led government of Tamil Nadu, PM Manmohan Singh has discussed the problems relating to fishing in Sri Lankan waters with the Sri Lankan President during the 2008 SAARC summit. On October 26, 2008, Colombo has conceded that it has no objection to Indian fishermen continuing to fish in Sri Lankan waters, except in designated sensitive areas. But Tamil Nadu fishermen, most of whom might have crossed the unmarked borderlines innocently, have been fired at and many of them have been killed.
Immediately after the killing of Veerapandian, CM M Karunanidhi sought the PM?s personal intervention to put an end to such incidents. The Manmohan Singh government sent a very strongly worded message to the Sri Lankan government, saying that ?resorting to firing in these situations has no justification??, and urged Sri Lankan authorities to desist from use of force. But Sri Lanka has denied that its navy has fired on Indian fishermen. ?No such incident had been reported,? Sri Lankan navy?s spokesperson told reporters in Colombo.
Jayalalitha has accused both the state and central governments of inaction. She claims that the border with Sri Lanka is more tense than the one between India and Pakistan. She has accused Karunanidhi of ?enacting a drama by sending telegrams??. The Union government has been maintaining silence over the continuing attacks on Tamil fishermen, she says. It is powerless to prevent the killings and attacks on the lives and properties of Indian fishermen. All these accusations obviously set the background for preparing her cadre for the forthcoming elections.
The fact remains that the Tamil Nadu fishermen are in perpetual fear of losing their lives, their catch and their boats and nets to the Sri Lankan Navy. In the narrow Palk Straits, where there are no visible border marks, violations of boundaries are quite natural. Settlement of such aberrations by talks rather than by bullets has been the constant demand of Indian fishermen and political leaders. The Sri Lankan navy doesn?t appear to be listening to such pleas.
Experts have recommended a licensing system for Indian fishermen for fearless fishing in the Palk Bay. But there has not been any political followup of the proposal. The application of technological tools (like satellite technology) combined with the presence of Indian Naval vessels and humanitarian considerations have been proposed as solutions. Earlier there were fears that fishing boats were being used by the LTTE to smuggle arms and drugs. Now that the war has ended, it is time to look for solutions.