Sat Dec 07 18:53:01 UTC 2024: ## Hundreds of Fishermen’s Families Block Highway in Protest of Sri Lankan Arrests
**Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, December 8, 2024** – Hundreds of fishermen’s families, many led by women, blocked the Madurai-Rameswaram National Highway on Saturday to protest the arrest of fellow fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy two days prior. The demonstrators, affiliated with the AITUC (All India Trade Union Congress), demanded the intervention of the Indian Union government and justice for the detained individuals.
The protest, which took place in front of the Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) at Thangachimadam near Rameswaram, highlighted the precarious situation faced by the fishing community. Sesu Raja, a fishermen association leader, stated, “Our survival is at stake and we are in an insecure state.”
Protestors vehemently denied accusations that the arrested fishermen had crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), questioning why they would risk such severe consequences. They appealed to the Sri Lankan government for high-level talks between fishermen from Tamil Nadu and the Northern Province of Sri Lanka to resolve the ongoing tensions.
Following police intervention, the blockade was lifted. However, fishermen’s associations in Rameswaram have announced a return to work on Monday. The incident underscores the long-standing conflict between Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen over fishing rights in the Palk Strait.
First Piper 