By
Meera Srinivasan
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Sunday ordered the release of five Indian fishermen in custody in Colombo as a “goodwill gesture” that comes a day before he leaves to India.
On Monday, he will attend the ceremony where BJP leader Narendra Modi’ will be sworn in as Prime Minister of India.
Unlike the earlier batch of fishermen that he released soon after India’s abstention at the Human Rights Council in March — who were arrested on charges of illegal fishing — the five who are to be released now were arrested in November 2011 for allegedly smuggling narcotic drugs into Sri Lanka. At present there are no Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan prisons facing charges of trespassing, but there are six others arrested at different points in the last two years on charges of smuggling drugs, according to officials at the Indian High Commission here.
The Sri Lankan government has been upbeat about the regime change in India – President Rajapaksa was among the first leaders to congratulate Mr. Modi, and also to confirm his participation at the swearing in ceremony that Sri Lankan government sources termed a virtual “SAARC summit”.
The President’s delegation includes Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris, Monitoring MP for the Ministry of External Affairs Sajin Vass Gunawardena, Minister Arumugam Thondaman representing Central Province Tamils of recent Indian origin and the Mayor of Jaffna Yogeswari Patkunarajah. President Rajapaksa had invited Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, but he declined to go as he did not wish to “facilitate tokenism”.
The delegation leaves to New Delhi Monday morning in a special aircraft. Following the swearing in ceremony, the President and Minister G.L. Peiris will attend the reception hosted by President Pranab Mukherjee for the visiting delegates.
On Tuesday, President Rajapaksa will hold bilateral meetings with Mr. Modi, where Indo-Lanka relations are to be discussed broadly. The 13th Amendment — which followed the Indo-Lanka accord of 1987 — and the fisheries conflict between the two countries are likely to be discussed, according to senior officials. He would return to Colombo Tuesday evening, sources said.
The release of the five fishermen, however, does not pertain to the Palk Bay conflict that poses a major challenge to bilateral relations between the neighbours. The recent discussions between fishermen of both countries — the second round of talks was held in Colombo on May 12 — ended in a deadlock leaving fishermen of both sides rather disappointed.
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Mixed response to Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Goodwill gesture in Tamil Nadu
B. KOLAPPAN
D. J. WALTER SCOTT
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordering the release of five Tamil Nadu fishermen facing a narcotics case, ahead of his visit to India to take part in the swearing-in of Narendra Modi, has evoked mixed response in the State.
While most political parties have opposed Mr. Rajapaksa’s visit to India, fishermen’s associations have welcomed his ‘goodwill gesture’ with caution, saying India should use the occasion to ensure the security of Tamil Nadu fishermen, constantly attacked across the Palk Bay.
Ilango, chairperson of the National Fish Workers Forum, on Sunday urged Mr. Modi to “extract a promise” from Mr. Rajapaksa that all pending criminal cases in Sri Lanka against 14 Tamil Nadu fishermen would be withdrawn. Mr. Ilango, who represented the Indian side in the recent talks between fishermen of both countries, hoped that the visit could brighten the prospects for the third round of talks.
DMK deputy general secretary Durai Murugan said the decision would in no way help Tamils get justice for the “atrocities” committed against them.
‘Bolt from the blue’
For the family members of the five fishermen — P. Emerson (39), P. Augustin (32), R. Wilson (42), K. Prasad (32) and J. Langlet (22) of Thangachimadam near Rameswaram — the news of the order came as a “bolt from the blue.”
“I have been yearning to see my son; God has answered my prayers. Rajapaksavukku Koodana Kodi Nandri [Many thanks to Rajapaksa],” said Ms. Infanta, mother of Langlet.
U. Arulanandham, president of the Alliance for the Release of Innocent Fishermen, and fishermen leaders P. Sesu Raja and N. J. Bose hoped the gesture would pave the way for release of all Indian fishermen from Pakistani and Sri Lankan jails.
COURTESY:THE HINDU