Mechanized boat fishermen begin indefinite strike

Official sources said about 10,000 fishermen stayed away from the sea. The busy Rameswaram fishing jetty wore a deserted look, as about 700 registered mechanized fishing trawlers remain anchored in the jetty in view of the strike.

The fishermen have decided to observe a day-long fasting agitation on the Republic day to draw the Central government attention on their ordeal. The next course of action will be taken on the same day, N.J.Bose, President of Rameswaram Port Mechanized Boat Fishermen Association said today.

The fishermen in a meeting held at Rameswaram yesterday have decided to boycott the annual two-day 'St.Antony's Church' scheduled for February 20 and 21 to protest against the Srilankan authorities warning to Indian fishermen against crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and threatened to nationalise the impounded Indian fishing boats.

Though the controversial uninhabited Katchatheevu Islet was ceded to Srilanka by India in 1974, the agreement between the two countries stated that Indian fishermen could fish near the Islet and dry their fishing nets. But, the Srilankan navy often chase away the Indian boats, attack fishermen and arrest them frequently.