Tue Feb 25 16:17:51 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Fishermen to Stage Indefinite Hunger Strike Over Sri Lankan Arrests
**Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, February 25, 2025** – Fishermen from Rameswaram have announced an indefinite hunger strike beginning February 28th, protesting the continued detention of Tamil fishermen and seizure of their boats by the Sri Lankan government. The strike, decided upon at a meeting of all fishermen associations on Tuesday, will continue until the Indian government secures the release of the arrested fishermen.
Jesu Raja, leader of the All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association, stated that the situation has deteriorated significantly over the past 11 years, with a drastic increase in arrests and seizures, unlike previous periods even during the Sri Lankan civil war. He highlighted that unlike previous incidents where Indian government intervention led to the release of fishermen and return of boats, Sri Lanka has refused to return seized boats for the past decade.
The fishermen are demanding that the Indian government convene a meeting with representatives from both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lankan fishing communities, as well as the Sri Lankan government, to resolve the long-standing issue. They also seek clarification on traditional fishing rights in the Katchatheevu area. Raja cited a past instance where the Indian government successfully secured the release of five Tamil fishermen sentenced to death in Sri Lanka, urging similar intervention to prevent the auctioning of seized boats.
Another fishermen leader, S. Emarit, criticized the central government’s perceived indifference to the plight of Tamil fishermen and expressed hope for positive action before Prime Minister Modi’s upcoming visit to Rameswaram to inaugurate the new Pamban bridge. He warned that the ongoing crisis would cast a shadow over this otherwise celebratory event.
First Piper 