DVD on Kacchateevu issue released

Fisher people may take to arms if problem is ignored it says
சென்னை, ஜூலை:

A DVD titled ‘Kayapatta Kadarkarai’ (Wounded Coast) highlighting the problems of Tamil Nadu fishermen, due to the Kacchateevu issue and illegal sand mining on the coast, was released on Friday.
“We pray for the Ceylon (Sri Lanka) cricket team to win India-Sri Lanka matches, otherwise the Lankan navy beats us. They beat us, if we protest here. They beat us for lost matches and the Indian navy too doesn’t protect us,” says a fisherman in the documentary.
The DVD highlights these problems and informs that 132 fishermen have been killed at sea by the Lankan navy and over 1100 have been maimed or wounded by them.
It concludes that in accordance with international law and its legal precedents Kacchateevu should belong to India and if the problem continues to be ignored by the central and state governments then the fisher people could take to arms to protect themselves and their livelihoods.
Fisherman Care’ an organisation that works with fisher people’s problems, has produced the DVD and its founder L.T.A.Peter Rayan – a former deputy secretary to the state government in the industries department – plans to petition the state and central governments to act on the issue.
“The central issue is livelihood and right to life. Right now the Sri Lankan navy is extra aggressive, especially after the war, and the fishermen are finding it difficult to continue fishing,” says Rayan.
He holds that the 1974 agreement on Kacchateevu holds because it was signed by heads of both nations but the 1976agreement which is the cause of the present problems, should not prevail upon the ’74 agreement because it was only signed by the foreign secretaries of both nations.

Asked if he expects to get a response from the governments, especially since the governments have maintained silence on the issue, he says, “It is the duty of the government of India to protect these people, which they have failed. If I fail to get a reply from the governments within 30 days then I will move the high court on the basis of protecting lives and livelihoods.”
The organisation will petition the governments to setup welfare schemes for the families of those killed and wounded by the Lankan navy, and to ensure the protection of Indian fishermen.