(June 25, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and MDMK leader Vaiko on Tuesday shot off letters to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on different issues with regard to the neighbouring Sri Lanka.
Expressing concern over the frequent attacks on Indian fishermen by the Lankan navy in high seas, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take steps to protect ther lives and ensure their livelihood.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, a copy of which was released to the press, Karunanidhi urged the the Centre to ensure that the rights and privileges of the Indian fishermen to carry on their normal occupation of fishing in the waters of Katchatheevu must be recognised and restored.
Considering the serious nature of the issue and the agony caused to the fishermen, the Union government should tell its Sri Lankan counterpart in clear terms about the legitimate rights of India on the issue.
He also wanted the Centre to ensure that the rights and privileges of the Indian fishermen to carry on their normal occupation of fishing in the waters of Katchatheevu must be recognised and restored.
Recalling the 1974 and 1976 agreements, Karunanidhi said fishermen were allowed to dry their nets in Katchatheevu, but were prohibited from fishing in Sri Lankan Territorial waters around Katchatheevu following executive instructions, which did not flow from the two agreements.
‘As they were executive instruction they cannot also supersede the provisions of the legally valid agreement entered into by the two countries’, he noted.
He said these executive orders have caused untold misery and damage to the Indian fishermen over the years as the traditional rights enjoyed by them to fish around katchatheevu were denied.
‘Time and again our fishermen have been arrested, attacked and shot dead in these waters. Each one of these incidents have shocked the people of the State and rocked the Legislative Assembly’, he pointed out.
He also recalled the letters written to the Union government by successive Chief Ministers to undo this injustice to the fishermen of Tamilnadu.
Karunanidhi said soon after the DMK came to power in 2006, the State sent a letter to the then Foreign Secretary urging him to get the island of Katchatheevu and adjacent seas on ‘lease in perpetuity’ for fishing, drying of nets and pilgrimage while holding Sri Lankan’s sovereignty over it, permit duly authorised fishing by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters upto five nautical miles and enter into bilateral agreement to ensure that fishermen straying into each others territory were released immediately with any harassment by the authorities of either country.
He said he also personally wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard. ‘But the incidents of attack continued unabated’, he said.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
Expressing concern over the frequent attacks on Indian fishermen by the Lankan navy in high seas, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take steps to protect ther lives and ensure their livelihood.
In his letter to the Prime Minister, a copy of which was released to the press, Karunanidhi urged the the Centre to ensure that the rights and privileges of the Indian fishermen to carry on their normal occupation of fishing in the waters of Katchatheevu must be recognised and restored.
Considering the serious nature of the issue and the agony caused to the fishermen, the Union government should tell its Sri Lankan counterpart in clear terms about the legitimate rights of India on the issue.
He also wanted the Centre to ensure that the rights and privileges of the Indian fishermen to carry on their normal occupation of fishing in the waters of Katchatheevu must be recognised and restored.
Recalling the 1974 and 1976 agreements, Karunanidhi said fishermen were allowed to dry their nets in Katchatheevu, but were prohibited from fishing in Sri Lankan Territorial waters around Katchatheevu following executive instructions, which did not flow from the two agreements.
‘As they were executive instruction they cannot also supersede the provisions of the legally valid agreement entered into by the two countries’, he noted.
He said these executive orders have caused untold misery and damage to the Indian fishermen over the years as the traditional rights enjoyed by them to fish around katchatheevu were denied.
‘Time and again our fishermen have been arrested, attacked and shot dead in these waters. Each one of these incidents have shocked the people of the State and rocked the Legislative Assembly’, he pointed out.
He also recalled the letters written to the Union government by successive Chief Ministers to undo this injustice to the fishermen of Tamilnadu.
Karunanidhi said soon after the DMK came to power in 2006, the State sent a letter to the then Foreign Secretary urging him to get the island of Katchatheevu and adjacent seas on ‘lease in perpetuity’ for fishing, drying of nets and pilgrimage while holding Sri Lankan’s sovereignty over it, permit duly authorised fishing by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters upto five nautical miles and enter into bilateral agreement to ensure that fishermen straying into each others territory were released immediately with any harassment by the authorities of either country.
He said he also personally wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in this regard. ‘But the incidents of attack continued unabated’, he said.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
 Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and MDMK leader Vaiko on Tuesday shot off letters to Prime Minister Dr ...){kind=link}
What is the purpose of writting comments while you guys have no knowledge of Tamil nadu or Sri lanka?
I decided not to read your web any more. bye!
KACHCHATIVU LEAGALLY BELONGS TO SRI LANKA. 82 YEAR OLD KARUNANITHI MUST, NOW STOP POKING HIS NOSE INTO SRI LANKAN AFFAIRS.
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