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| Sunday, 21 September 2003 |
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Mannar fishermen in dire straits by Neomi Kodikara The sky is stark blue. A vindictive sun smites down on the hard-baked earth. We plod along the Mannar beach, with feet covered with fine, sizzling hot sand.
With a frail chant of 'odi hellei....aaa...' a group of fishermen is pulling a boat ashore. The usual hustle and bustle you expect to find on fishermen's return is not here. The crowd on the shore is oddly still. The fishermen are not crowded with buyers as in the past. "How's the day's catch," I ask. No one is talking. But their pale set faces plead with a mute eloquence that is louder than wailing. Their hands are empty. Instead of the catch, they walk home with empty plastic cans and fishing gadgets. I pose my question again. "It's useless; numerous pleas, complaints only fell on deaf ears of the authorities. Media carried stories about this injustice, but no difference, we still suffer," he walks away, passing me. Followed by the ceasefire, life seems to have been resumed amid ruin and rubble, the remnants of a 20 year war. Lifting of the restrictions imposed on fishing in the North brought back expectations. But the much anticipated rejuvenation in the fishing industry in the country's Northern and Eastern waters which accounted for around two-thirds of the island's catch before the ethnic conflict broke out, could not be seen.
Today around 8000 fishermen from Mannar alone, who depend solely on fishing for their livelihood are in a deplorable situation, due to the daily damage being done by the Indian trawlers, coming from Ramaeswaram, Mandapam and Thankachchimadam. "This Indian rogue fleet of about 3000 32-foot trawlers not only depletes our resources but also rams our fishing craft, taking with them our nets, the catch and even engines," is the lament of thousands of fishermen from both cleared and uncleared Northern coastal areas. They trawl all fish from Pesalai to Eranathiv every other day," says Titus Crooz, squatting on the beach. He is one of those fishermen who just arrived ashore. "We can fish only on the other three days, but still we are unable to catch any fish because the powerful Indian trawlers have already drawn our prawns, sprats, sea cucumber and conch shell pockets." "We are poor people, our fishing boats and other equipment are not strong enough to challenge Indian trawlers," adds another. "We need nearly 35 litres of kerosene for a day's fishing. This costs around Rs. 1200, but we cannot get a catch worth even Rs. 500," Crooz says. "We only get promises," S.A. Miranda, a small scale buyer is aggressive. The officials from the Indian High Commission pledged at several times to stop this or to take stern actions, including cancellation of Indian fishermen's operational licences but `nothing happened, they continued to poach." Naval officials wash their hands off, saying this does not come under their purview. When the authorities chose to keep mum about it, these men took the law into their hands. Fatal brawls between the Indian and Lankan fishermen erupted. "Last October around 300 fishermen went in 50 boats, following a fierce fight in the deep sea we apprehended 20 Indian boats with 103 fishermen, but once they were handed over to the Navy, they released them due to the intervention of the Indian High Commission," says Manual Sebestain Pillai from Vidataltivu, an uncleared area. "They enter our territorial waters passing the naval base at Talaimannar, but naval officials simply don't take any action," he says.
They also claim that many Sri Lankan fishermen are serving long-term jail sentences in Indian prisons for passing through the Indian EEZ on their way to fish in international waters."At least, do not release them so easily when apprehended," they request unanimously. This can be solved only through negotiations at ministerial level by both governments," Sebestain points out. S. Stanilaus Peeris, President of Pesalai Fishermen Co-op Society is of the opinion that if the LTTE has authority they will solve this problem soon. "We have faith that they will act promptly," he said recalling how the LTTE banned the Indians fishing in EEZ during the late 80s. These people cannot be blamed, when the authorities keep silent, civilians will take the law into their hands," Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannar says. Mannar district has only 55 trawlers of 28 foot length with engines of 32 horsepower whereas Indians use 34 to 40 foot length trawlers with 140 horsepower engines. The local fishermen alleged that Indians use banned nets, spaced at a 8mm and trawl at depths of 20 to 40 feet. The nets Sri Lankan fishermen use are floating drift nets, half-inch size and trawl only at 10 to 20 feet depth, making it easy for the Indians to use their engine propellers to cut through local fishermen's nets. The trawlers completely damage line nets and trap nets while other nets like trawling nets and casting nets are cut or robbed. Twenty years ago Mannar daily transported 10 - 15 lorries of fish to Colombo. Adequate stocks of fish were supplied to a canning factory in Pesalai in addition to exportng of seafood. Now every year the Indians are said to be catching seafood worth Rs. 500 million; a huge loss in foreign exchange to Sri Lanka. During the war the fishing industry in the area dropped drastically; while the Sri Lankan Navy prevented Lankans fishing within this zone and LTTE massacred fishermen and their families burning entire fishing villages, Indian fishermen had a field day. The area which divides Sri Lanka and India, between nine to 30 miles, at the closest, provides a bountiful yield of lobsters, crabs and other species which has a high demand in sophisticated Japanese, U.S. and European markets. Due to the abundance of sea plants in this area it is a rich fishing ground, specially for prawns. The area abounds with silver bellies, herrings, sardines, mackerel, cuttlefish, beach cucumber which fetch over USD 50 per kilo, and even large conch shells. They not only steal our catch but also destroy the natural habitats of the fish," says Sebestain. The Indian fishermen allegedly use nets that are not allowed even in Indian territorial waters. "They deplete our resources, using prohibited nets as low as 8 mm. Once they trawl the corals are removed. These are the habitats of lobsters and other small fish. Now certain fish species are completely exterminated from this area." They accuse the authorities of being silent when they are well aware of the violation and injustice happening around them. "They have no intention of stopping this atrocity in the Northern sea. They have to answer to future generations for letting Indian pirates deplete our resources," Miranda says accusingly. We are always being overlooked, taken for granted, just because we are a minority. Had this happened to fishermen in the South the Government would have taken prompt action,"he charges. If this menace continues, we will have to find some odd jobs for a living. We cannot let our children die of starvation," he adds. Most of the fishermen have even thought of going to inland areas as they did during the times of war. "There seems no other alternative, we cannot risk our lives," says F. Yogenthran, a fisherman from Pesalai. In these brawls local fishermen have been assaulted by their more powerful counterparts. "Now we think twice before going to sea." During the war, some fishermen in the Mannar district and along a 100 mile stretch, migrated to less fishing-restricted-areas while some engaged in inland fishing. "If we leave, Indian pirates will take complete control of this area and our country will lose large resources," Miranda raises his voice. "Why do we have to tolerate this injustice, just because of big brother attitude towards India. They say they have to meet a large demand for fish in their country, but why should we pay for their sins?" Miranda asks. Many are withdrawing from the trade. "It is better to leave the boats to rust, than spending on fishing," Miranda says. But, this is the trade we have been in for generation, what could we do other than fishing ?" protests Yogenthran. |
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