Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar convened a high level meeting on 24th November to discuss the problems of Sri Lankan fishermen and their boats in Indian custody and measures to overcome the problems faced by Sri Lankan government authorities in securing the release of the fishermen and their boats. The issue of Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan authorities with their boats was also taken up at the meeting.

The Deputy Foreign Minister Harendra Corea, who keenly follows developments on the issue of Sri Lankan fishermen in Indian custody, was present at the meeting while the other participants were senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Sri Lanka Navy, the Sri Lanka Police and the Department of Emigration and Immigration.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Kadirgamar emphasised that the problem of fishermen and fishing boats in custody is a serious humanitarian and social issue as well as a sensitive political issue affecting both Sri Lanka and India. Both countries have been taking up the issue of their respective fishermen detained in the other country. The Foreign Minister said this issue should not be allowed to strain bilateral relations. The importance of the problem is also evidenced by the interest shown by Fisheries Associations in Sri Lanka as well as Fisheries Associations in the Southern States of India. The Foreign Minister said that this Inter Ministerial meeting was convened due to the gravity of the problem and stressed that follow up meetings will be held regularly, on a monthly basis, to review the progress being made on this matter.

It was noted that Sri Lankan authorities are engaged in continued efforts to secure the release of our fishermen and their boats in Indian custody, in Cochin (Kerala), Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu), Port Blair (Andaman & Nicobar Islands), Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Trichi (Tamil Nadu), Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu) and Paradeep (Orissa). As a related issue, the importance of streamlining the process involving Indian fishermen in custody in Sri Lanka was also stressed.

The procedure regarding the release of Sri Lankan fishermen held in India involved several Indian governmental authorities. While the central government in New Delhi took the policy decisions, these decisions had to be processed through the State governments and respective district authorities, following which the courts had to issue release orders. After the fishermen are released from custody, the Sri Lankan Mission attends to their passport and visa matters and their repatriation to Sri Lanka after evaluating all relevant aspects of the problem. As an initial step, Foreign Minister Kadirgamar proposed that a team comprising representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Attorney General’s Department, the Sri Lanka Police and the Department of Immigration and Emigration should visit South India, especially Cochin in Kerala, immediately to obtain first hand information on the situation and make recommendations towards drawing up a plan of action accordingly. While in India the team will study the legal, administrative and other related issues concerning the speedy release of Sri Lankan fishermen and their boats in custody.

As regards to Indian fishermen held in Sri Lanka, the necessity to keep the Indian authorities informed on an expeditious basis when Indian fishermen are taken into custody was emphasised. Towards this end it was suggested that the concerned Government authorities in Sri Lanka should co-ordinate effectively and exchange information without delay. Focal points of the respective Ministries/Departments were identified for this purpose. Although the number of Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka is small compared to the number of Sri Lankan fishermen detained in India, our prompt action on the issue of Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka could result in giving better co-operation by the Indian authorities regarding the release of Sri Lankan fishermen and boats in custody in India.

The relevance of obtaining immediate information on Sri Lankan fishermen and boats suspected to be missing in Indian waters was considered extremely necessary for follow up action. The Ministry of Fisheries was entrusted with the task of confirming the nationality of these supposed Sri Lankans. The desirability of keeping the next of kin informed of all development in these cases was also highlighted.:

The need to strengthen the Sri Lankan Mission in Chennai in order to deal with these issues was stressed. The desirability of giving special responsibility to an officer in the Foreign Ministry to monitor developments on fishermen’s issues was also considered useful by the participants at the meeting.

Winding up the meeting, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar expressed that a well co-ordinated plan of action could be carried out to facilitate the early release of Sri Lankan fishermen and boats in Indian custody and Indian fishermen and boats in Sri Lankan custody by all Sri Lankan authorities concerned, who should act promptly and with a humanitarian approach.