The ongoing controversy over fishermen between India and Sri Lanka has now come to a new turn. On Tuesday morning, Sri Lankan Navy opened fire on Indian fishermen near the island of Delphat, seriously injuring 13 fishermen. The incident has once again made the relationship between two countries tense, questioning the safety of Indian citizens. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs took this firing seriously and lodged a strong protest on this action taken by the Sri Lankan Navy.
Five Indian fishermen injured due to Sri Lankan firing, two are in critical condition
Significantly, the incident happened when the Indian fishermen were riding on their fishing boat and were doing fishing in Sri Lankan Jalasima. The Sri Lankan Navy tried to catch him and then opened fire. Five Indian fishermen were injured in the shootout, of which two are stated to be critical. The injured were immediately admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment. Three other fishermen suffered minor injuries and are also undergoing treatment in the hospital.
India strongly protested against Sri Lankan Navy, statement of Ministry of External Affairs
The Government of India immediately reacted to the incident and strongly condemned the Sri Lankan Navy firing. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement saying, “India has lodged a strong protest against the firing incident by the Sri Lankan Navy. In this incident, two of the 13 fishermen aboard the fishing boat have been seriously injured and they are being treated at Jaffna Teaching Hospital. ” A spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs also said that India summoned the Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner and expressed its concern on the issue. Apart from this, the High Commission in Colombo, India has also raised the issue before the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry.
Respect for fishermen and respect for their rights, India demand
The Government of India has urged the Sri Lankan government in this matter that issues related to fishermen should always be resolved from a human point of view. The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that the use of force is not acceptable under any circumstances and the consent between the two countries should be strictly followed. India has always talked about respecting the rights of fishermen, who work in the sea for their livelihood.
In this whole matter, India has appealed to Sri Lanka to adopt a sensitive and human view, so that such incidents can be avoided in future. Fishermen have become an important issue in India-Sri Lanka relations, and controversies related to it continue to rise from time to time. The safety of fishermen, their working rights and safety of their families have always been a priority for India.
Taking stock of their condition met by injured fishermen, India’s activism
At Jaffna Teaching Hospital, the Indian Consulate officials met the injured fishermen and took stock of their situation. In this meeting, fishermen and their families were assured to provide all possible help. During this time, Indian officials took information from fishermen about their health and assured them that the Government of India would take all possible steps for their safety.
The Government of India has also fully supported the medical care of fishermen. Hospitalized fishermen are being provided better treatment and medical facilities. Apart from this, the Indian Embassy also approached the families of the injured fishermen and asked them to be ready for any kind of assistance.
Danger for Sri Lankan fishermen, question on the situation of fishermen of both countries
This incident has become a matter of concern not only for Indian fishermen, but also for Sri Lankan fishermen. Fishermen of the two countries often try to catch fish in each other’s water area, which causes controversy. Many times Indian fishermen enter the Sri Lankan waters, and as a result they are arrested or they occur like firing incidents.
Here the question also arises as to who is in the hands of fishermen’s life and what kind of improvement is required in this area, so that such incidents can be avoided in future.
What will be the effect of this development in India-Sri Lanka relations?
This firing can make relations between India and Sri Lanka more stressful. Although there is also cooperation between the two countries on many issues, it remains a sensitive issue between the two countries regarding the safety of fishermen. After this incident, India has clarified from the Sri Lankan government that fishermen related incidents should be dealt with a human point of view and in such cases the army or police intervention should be only the final option.
The incident between India and Sri Lanka once again proves that coordination and dialogue between the two countries are required to protect fishermen in future and protect their rights.
The firing by the Sri Lankan Navy on Indian fishermen is a worrying incident, which has not only questioned the safety of fishermen, but has also made the ongoing dispute between India and Sri Lanka more serious. The Government of India immediately intervened in the matter and reacted strongly to the Sri Lankan government. Now it has to be seen what kind of solution is found between the two countries on this issue.
