TN, SL fishermen associations talks useful if held in a month

DMK president M Karunanidhi today said the dialogue sought by Tamil Nadu government between fishermen's associations of the state and Sri lanka following frequent attacks and arrests of the former by naval personnel of the island nation would be useful only if it is held within a month.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the DMK chief also referred to recent incidents of arrests of Indian fishermen by the Lankan navy and sought his intervention.
"The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has, at last, sent a letter to you suggesting that the proposed dialogue between the fishermen of Tamil Nadu and the fishermen of Sri Lanka may be arranged in December 2013. This may be a long period of wait. The dialogue maybe useful only if it is held within a month to prevent further instances of arrest," he said.

Referring to the latest arrest of 20 fishermen from Rameswaram on Saturday, he said already 107 fishermen are languishing in Lankan jails and pointed out at the "level of sufferings and hardships" being faced by their families.
"The pathetic and tearful story continues indefinitely, due to the inhuman attitude of the Sri Lankan Navy. Unless the Government of India takes a very serious view of these continuing developments and launches firm and fit action to contain and resolve the issues of torture and arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen, conditions will worsen and deteriorate," he said.
He said past communication India had had with Sri Lanka had not yielded any results and urged Singh to "prevail upon the Sri Lankan government at your level not to resort to such arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen.