Fishermen Association meeting to precede joint working group meet between Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka: MEA

The Ministry of External affairs on Thursday said that they were working out fresh dates to address to the issue of fishermen of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka as the meeting could not take place on the earlier planned date, as there needs to be a fishermen association meeting preceding the meeting of joint working committee.

"The issue with the meeting was that, before the joint working group met, there was to be a fishermen association meeting the government of Sri Lanka. But Sri Lanka has requested for some more time to prepare for the meeting," said MEA Spokesperson, Syed Akbaruddin.

"This issue will soon be sorted out. Right now we are working on fresh date," he said.

"This is a humanitarian issue of both Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, and we are in touch with both the Tamil Nadu government and our Sri Lanka colleagues," said Akbaruddin.

He further said that a six member committee had been formed between India and Sri Lanka.

"Separately, there has been a six member committee between India and Sri Lanka, consisting of three members in each. They will be seeing the issues related to the 2008 memorandum of understanding, and how to progress further on that," he said.

Indian Coast Guard officials handed over 52 Sri Lankan fishermen released from Tamil Nadu jail to the Lankan Coast Guard at the International Maritime Boundary Line last Thursday.

Fishermen want a lasting solution to the problem so that they can venture out for fishing without the fear of being apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy again.