Rameswaram mechanised boat fishermen launch indefinite strike

: Voicing concern over continued incarceration of their colleagues in Sri Lankan jails, mechanised boat fishermen in this region today commenced an indefinite strike demanding immediate steps by the Centre to set them free.
A meeting of various local fishermen associations here under the leadership of N Devadoss and S Emrit condemned the periodical extension of remand of their colleagues, arrested in the past few months, by the Sri Lankan courts and slammed the Centre for not taking any action to secure their release.
It also resolved that all fishing boats from Rameswaram, Pamban and Mandapam would sport black flags tomorrow, association leaders said.

The meeting expressed concern over the continued detention of fishermen from Rameswaram, Pamban, Mandapam, Nagapattinam and Karaikal in Sri Lanka.
The fishermen's agitation came on a day when a Mannar court in Sri Lanka extended the judicial remand of 41 fishermen from Rameswaram and Mandapam till September 20. They were arrested in two batches -- 20 on July 5 and 21 on August 30 -- for allegedly entering Lankan waters.
The meeting also decided to intensify the agitation by holding a state-wide strike in consultation with fishermen in other parts.
It alleged that Sri Lanka with the cooperation of India was preventing the fishermen from carrying out their fishing activities in the areas where they had been doing so for more than 100 years.