Challenged by the Indian fishermen: The sorry plight of the ill - equipped Sri Lankans going to sea

The Indian Ocean like other seas is bountiful and its resources benefit many. But for the Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen, fishing in the deep blue waters of the Palk Strait, from time to time, it also amounts to fishing in troubled waters.

While both countries handle the issue of fishermen and their livelihood” through diplomatic channels, for the fisher folk, it is far more direct and person to person.

“We have cleaned and are carefully keeping 17 new fishing nets belonging to Indian fishermen. We will hand them over to them when they request. We don’t want to take revenge or get into any ugly confrontation with any one of them. They too are fishermen, like us. The issue should be solved amicably, through the understanding fishermen have with fishermen, not through complicated channels. We are a community that respects humanity” says Kanthasamy Rajachandran, President of Ambaal Fishermen’s Co-operative Society in Kaarainagar in Jaffna.

17 new fishing nets belonging to Indian fishermen, which got entangled to Sri Lankan fishermen's boats are cleaned and carefully kept under lock and key in a store in Kaarainagar

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