Indo-Lanka ties worthy of emulation

There seems to be high drama again over Indian fishermen operating illegally in Sri Lanka's maritime waters. Although Indian and Sri Lankan Governments maintain strong bilateral ties today, more than ever before in Indo-Lanka history, certain parties with vested interests both here and in Tamil Nadu are attempting to blow certain issues out of proportion to gain undue political mileage.

Thanks to the close rapport between the Governments of India and Sri Lanka, the two countries could always resolve these matters without much effort. However, it's a shame that the now bankrupt Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and some Opposition political parties in Tamil Nadu are making a hue and cry over it.

Over 100 Indian fishermen were arrested on Tuesday when they were found to be fishing illegally in Sri Lankan waters. They were remanded and were released later.

Prior to them being produced in Courts, the Police had sent them to the Point Pedro hospital for medical examination as a precautionary measure as allegations of assault could have been levelled. This was indeed a wise move by the police to prove the humaneness in which Sri Lanka treats even those who violate maritime laws and enter its waters illegally.

Another group of 24 Indian fishermen operating in seven boats in Sri Lankan waters in the Northern sea were sighted by Sri Lankan fishermen a day later. These fishermen had been fishing in the Madagal Sea, close to Kankesanturai at the time.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Minister Douglas Devananda who met those who were arrested, said that the Indian fishermen had conceded their mistake and begged for pardon for fishing in Sri Lankan waters. The fishermen had tendered an apology and had called upon the authorities to facilitate their release. The authorities have assured full protection to all those Indian fishermen.

On the other hand, the Indian authorities too acted in a responsible manner after certain Opposition Tamil Nadu politicians attempted to take undue advantage of these developments.

Parliamentarian K. Kanimozhi, the daughter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, along with two other members of the Indian Parliament and over a thousand other protesters were taken into custody by the Chennai police. Parliamentarians, D.K.S. Illangaran and J. Anbalahan were also arrested by the Tamil Nadu police when they staged a protest in front of the Sri Lanka Consulate in Chennai.

A top Indian Coast Guard official has said that the Sri Lanka Navy had acted properly by arresting the Indian fishermen who encroached on Sri Lankan waters, instead of harassing or killing them. Commander of the Coast Guard Region East, Inspector General Satya Prakash Sharma told the Indian daily The Hindu that the arrest of Indian fishermen was the right course of action adopted by the Sri Lanka Navy. "If they wilfully strayed into their waters, arrest was a step in the right direction. In this case, the Sri Lanka Navy had acted accordingly," Sharma was quoted as saying.

He said that the Indian authorities too follow an identical course of action whenever Sri Lankan fishermen are spotted in Indian waters. Sharma told The Hindu that the two sides had agreed to release the genuine fishermen early and the matter could be resolved through diplomatic channels.

At a time when even top Indian officials see the sincerity of Sri Lankan authorities in protecting even those who enter Sri Lankan waters illegally, JVP extremists are attempting to point an accusing finger to mar Indo-Lanka relations.

It is an open secret how the JVP went hammer and tongs with their anti-Indian policy during 1988/89 forcing people in Sri Lanka to boycott Indian-made products. They are the very same people who were instrumental in attempting to hurt Sri Lanka's good relations with neighbouring India.

The JVP even went to the extent of 'ordering' shop owners against selling Indian dhal, depriving the poor man of his popular dish. The same 'godfathers' are now attempting to sully Sri Lanka's image with neighbouring India.

JVP parliamentarian Vijitha Herath has alleged that South India's DNK Party is now attempting to give a political twist to the fishermen's matter. What Herath and his JVP gang are up to is anybody's guess.

Having being rejected in toto by the masses, Herath and his JVP cohorts are now making a subtle attempt to gain maximum political mileage out of it. Can we for a moment forget the encouraging assistance extended by the Indian government in Sri Lanka's battle against terrorism?

Although the Tamil Nadu faction had its own sentiments at times, the Indian government truly understood the need to eliminate LTTE terror as the Tigers had even assassinated the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. All in all, India has been a true neighbour and a tower of strength to Sri Lanka at all times in vanquishing the Tiger leadership.

India has also demonstrated a keen interest in assisting Sri Lanka through the Indian Line of Credit for several infrastructure development projects which include the upgrading of the Southern and Northern railway lines. The JVP, true to form, even finds fault with the Government for upgrading the Galle-Matara railway line into an expressway with Indian assistance.

This alone proves the extremist mentality of the moribund JVP, which is struggling for survival. Had it not been for the whole-hearted support extended by India and several other friendly countries, Sri Lanka would never have won its battle against terror and liberated over half a million people who had been subjected to untold privations under LTTE's terror rule.

The governments of Sri Lanka and India are acutely aware that certain factions in the two countries could exploit the situation to put a spoke in the friendly relations between the two neighbours.

The fishermen's case is not as serious as projected by the JVP and a few Tamil Nadu Opposition parties.

The External Affairs Ministers of both countries have discussed the matter and made arrangements for the safe release of the fishermen of both countries. This could be settled through mutual understanding, respecting each other's territorial rights and integrity. Indo-Lanka relations are worthy of emulation.