Indian (more importantly Tamil) fishermen getting killed or getting arrested frequently by SriLankan coast guard has been a constant issue. Not many city folks might know about it or care about it but many others do. So, this is a first attempt to show what is causing this problem and what can be done about it. I will add more to it as newer findings come about.
What and where exactly is the border between India and SriLanka?
Let's first understand what and where the border is between India and SriLanka.
The Palk strait is the narrow stretch of sea that separates India and Sri Lanka in the Palk Bay region of the Indian ocean.The strait is just 53 to 80 km wide that, fishermen on both sides of the waters often find themselves to have landed in the neighbour's territory and gets languished in jails.
How do I know where the border is?
Unlike many reports that say fishermen unknowingly cross the borders, the borders have visible & clear demarcations in many places in the sea! Unless one crosses the borders in the night, they are willingly crossing the international border.
Watch this video to know how it looks:
In this time and age, many people have cell phones and there is significant cell-tower coverage till at least the Indian edge of the boundary line. So, using the A-GPS on phones also, one can know if they are close to the border.
What did the Government do so far to help the fishermen?
With the help of central government, the TN government had allegedly been fitting many fishermen boats with GPS devices also for over 4 years now:
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/gps-devices-being-fitted-on-tamil-nadu-fishermens-boats/article4287068.ece
But beyond this, most TN politicians are more interested in keeping the issue alive for their own political benefits rather than bringing it to an end.
There are even high-school projects done demonstrating what else the Government can do, like this alerting mechanism:
Why is SriLankan coast guard so violent?
The maritime boundaries between the two countries were settled by a 1976 agreement but the ignorance about the demarcations among the fishermen and the lack of GPS instruments make them vulnerable to such crossings and arrests.Sometimes they are forced to cross knowingly because of the limited fishing space.
Is crossing the border reason enough for shooting them?
NO! Many Indian fishermen regularly enter Sri Lankan waters, and many of them in the guise of fishing are running a racket of smuggling marijuana and other drugs to Sri Lanka. It's a booming racket, and Tamil politicians are also involved in it.
http://www.adaderana.lk/news/indian-fishermen-arrested-for-drug-trafficking-to-be-released-report-
Fishing problems in Indian waters! Really!? YES!
Katchathivu is an islet which India ceded to Sri Lanka. It is 14 nautical miles from Rameshwaram shore. Many Indian fishermen using small country boats and catamarans have no issues in fishing.
But some of the fishermen are using mechanised fishing trawlers. These mechanised trawlers cannot fish in the distance of 3 nautical miles from Rameshwaram shore as these are reserved for fishing by country boats and catamarans. The next 6 nautical miles are shallow and trawlers can't be used here. So, only a narrow strip of 5 nautical miles is left for them. Considering the number of mechanised trawlers, all of them can't fish in these 5 nautical miles and some are forced to go beyond it.
The problem arises when the Tamil Nadu fishermen cross the IMBL, which lies 14 nautical miles from the Rameswaram shore, and enter the Sri Lankan waters. But the fishermen assert that these are their “traditional waters” where they have been fishing for several centuries.
http://www.frontline.in/social-issues/sea-of-troubles/article6144655.ece
What is the dialogue happening on this?
The Sri Lankan side complained that trawling nets are responsible for depletion of marine resource and destruction of small nets used by the Sri Lankan fishermen. The representatives of Indian fishermen agreed to abstain from using purse seine nets and erattai madi valai while fishing in Palk Strait. Sri Lankan representatives had made it clear that they had no problem with Indians using gill nets.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/use-of-trawlers-a-contentious-issue-at-fishermen-meet/article5622499.ece
What is the solution to this problem?
So, YES the Indian fishermen are violating the borders, unlike what the TamilNadu politicians and media would like you to believe. The possible solutions could be (as suggested comprehensively here: https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-Sri-Lankan-navy-arresting-Indian-fishermen-everyday):
- Use of proper GPS devices by the fishermen and not violating the International borders knowingly
- Fishermen not falling prey to the narcotics mafia, lured by the large sums they offer
- Smartcards for fishermen identification so that they wont be mistaken for pirates or smugglers and shot by the security forces
- Giving up the use of mechanised trawlers as the regional ecosystem which is rich in coral reefs and other marine biodiversity is also affected
- Engaging in deep sea fishing, to overcome the spatial constraint.
- Most importantly, politicians of TN must stop using the issue for their political ambitions and issues must be settled amicable through peaceful talks
What and where exactly is the border between India and SriLanka?
Let's first understand what and where the border is between India and SriLanka.
The Palk strait is the narrow stretch of sea that separates India and Sri Lanka in the Palk Bay region of the Indian ocean.The strait is just 53 to 80 km wide that, fishermen on both sides of the waters often find themselves to have landed in the neighbour's territory and gets languished in jails.
How do I know where the border is?
Unlike many reports that say fishermen unknowingly cross the borders, the borders have visible & clear demarcations in many places in the sea! Unless one crosses the borders in the night, they are willingly crossing the international border.
Watch this video to know how it looks:
In this time and age, many people have cell phones and there is significant cell-tower coverage till at least the Indian edge of the boundary line. So, using the A-GPS on phones also, one can know if they are close to the border.
What did the Government do so far to help the fishermen?
With the help of central government, the TN government had allegedly been fitting many fishermen boats with GPS devices also for over 4 years now:
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/gps-devices-being-fitted-on-tamil-nadu-fishermens-boats/article4287068.ece
But beyond this, most TN politicians are more interested in keeping the issue alive for their own political benefits rather than bringing it to an end.
There are even high-school projects done demonstrating what else the Government can do, like this alerting mechanism:
Why is SriLankan coast guard so violent?
The maritime boundaries between the two countries were settled by a 1976 agreement but the ignorance about the demarcations among the fishermen and the lack of GPS instruments make them vulnerable to such crossings and arrests.Sometimes they are forced to cross knowingly because of the limited fishing space.
Is crossing the border reason enough for shooting them?
NO! Many Indian fishermen regularly enter Sri Lankan waters, and many of them in the guise of fishing are running a racket of smuggling marijuana and other drugs to Sri Lanka. It's a booming racket, and Tamil politicians are also involved in it.
http://www.adaderana.lk/news/indian-fishermen-arrested-for-drug-trafficking-to-be-released-report-
Fishing problems in Indian waters! Really!? YES!
Katchathivu is an islet which India ceded to Sri Lanka. It is 14 nautical miles from Rameshwaram shore. Many Indian fishermen using small country boats and catamarans have no issues in fishing.
But some of the fishermen are using mechanised fishing trawlers. These mechanised trawlers cannot fish in the distance of 3 nautical miles from Rameshwaram shore as these are reserved for fishing by country boats and catamarans. The next 6 nautical miles are shallow and trawlers can't be used here. So, only a narrow strip of 5 nautical miles is left for them. Considering the number of mechanised trawlers, all of them can't fish in these 5 nautical miles and some are forced to go beyond it.
The problem arises when the Tamil Nadu fishermen cross the IMBL, which lies 14 nautical miles from the Rameswaram shore, and enter the Sri Lankan waters. But the fishermen assert that these are their “traditional waters” where they have been fishing for several centuries.
http://www.frontline.in/social-issues/sea-of-troubles/article6144655.ece
What is the dialogue happening on this?
The Sri Lankan side complained that trawling nets are responsible for depletion of marine resource and destruction of small nets used by the Sri Lankan fishermen. The representatives of Indian fishermen agreed to abstain from using purse seine nets and erattai madi valai while fishing in Palk Strait. Sri Lankan representatives had made it clear that they had no problem with Indians using gill nets.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/use-of-trawlers-a-contentious-issue-at-fishermen-meet/article5622499.ece
What is the solution to this problem?
So, YES the Indian fishermen are violating the borders, unlike what the TamilNadu politicians and media would like you to believe. The possible solutions could be (as suggested comprehensively here: https://www.quora.com/Why-is-the-Sri-Lankan-navy-arresting-Indian-fishermen-everyday):
- Use of proper GPS devices by the fishermen and not violating the International borders knowingly
- Fishermen not falling prey to the narcotics mafia, lured by the large sums they offer
- Smartcards for fishermen identification so that they wont be mistaken for pirates or smugglers and shot by the security forces
- Giving up the use of mechanised trawlers as the regional ecosystem which is rich in coral reefs and other marine biodiversity is also affected
- Engaging in deep sea fishing, to overcome the spatial constraint.
- Most importantly, politicians of TN must stop using the issue for their political ambitions and issues must be settled amicable through peaceful talks
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