An Indian fisherman's ordeal with Lankan Navy

Indian fishermen have been increasingly facing the bullets of the Sri Lankan Navy. Some have also been put behind bars. Even as more such incidents come to light, the Indian government, Navy and Coast Guard have been doing nothing about it.

Last week, 62 Indian fishermen were arrested mid-sea and taken to Sri Lanka. After three days, 50 were released. The fate of the remaining 12 remains a mystery. A week earlier, for two consecutive days, Indian fishermen were fired upon by the Lankan Navy.

The 62 fishermen belong to Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. Among the 50 who returned on March 10 was Bensegar of Kurumpanai village. Bensegar is 48 years old but looks much younger.

A third standard dropout, Bensegar is a hereditary fisherman and knows no other work. He works on others' boats. He earns no salary as such; just reaps a share of the profits of the catch.

His trips to sea last between a week and a month depending on the size of the vessel. For the last five years, he has been working on a boat from Tuthoor village, which is 15 km from his residence. Two men from his village work on the same boat. Rest of the fishermen belong to Tuthoor. The nine-member crew on the boat includes its owner, Joy.

On the February 27, they set out as usual. They first went to Arockiapuram in Kanyakumari district to buy ice, used to preserve their catch. The next day they sailed into the Indian Ocean looking for a good spot to fish.

They drifted with the tide as they chased the fish. On March 7, they came face to face with

an armed boat of the Sri Lankan Navy. Bensegar says they were threatened at gun point and forced to jump into the sea. One of the fisherman started drowning in sheer fright. Three others took hold of him and kept him afloat. For half-an-hour the Lankans had the fishermen swimming in the sea while they checked the boat.

They were then allowed to get back into their boat following which they were strip-searched for weapons. Not convinced about the identity of the men on the boat, the Lankans took them into custody. Bensegar and the rest of the crew were told to fall behind the armed boat, which took them shore. 

Once on shore, the Lankans were very friendly, says Bensegar, adding that they were fed at regular intervals. It was then that he realised that crew belonging to five other boats had also been taken into custody by the Sri Lankans.

On the March 9, the Lankans released 50 fishermen and two boats. Four boats and 12 fishermen are still in their custody.

On Lankans firing at Indian fishermen, he said, "That happens only off the Rameswaram coast, which is very near to Sri Lanka. And that area has significant LTTE activity."

Ironically, while Bensegar and 61 others were undergoing an ordeal, Indian Defence Minister A K Antony was giving a lecture on 'Terrorism from the sea' in New Delhi. He never mentioned this incident.
 
A determined Bensegar says he will go back to the sea when his boat returns. He has no other option. There are others like Bensegar; all of whom are at the mercy of the elements and Sri Lankan Navy.