{"id":157009,"date":"2016-02-06T00:11:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-05T18:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=157009"},"modified":"2016-02-06T04:11:52","modified_gmt":"2016-02-05T22:41:52","slug":"indian-fishermen-issue-takes-centre-stage-in-wickremesinghe-swaraj-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/indian-fishermen-issue-takes-centre-stage-in-wickremesinghe-swaraj-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"Indian Fishermen Issue Takes Centre Stage In Wickremesinghe-Swaraj Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

The issue of the Indian fishermen<\/span><\/a> reportedly took centre stage at a meeting held in Colombo last night between Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe<\/span><\/a> and Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Swaraj\u2019s visit to Sri Lanka comes just days after nine Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters were arrested by Sri Lankan authorities.<\/p>\n

\"Prime<\/a>Swaraj is on a two day official visit and will co-chair the 9th Joint Commission meeting in Colombo with Sri Lankan foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera where key bilateral issues of Sri Lanka and India will be discussed.<\/p>\n

Incidentally, the Indian minister\u2019s visit comes after Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalitha sought intervention of Indian premier Narendra Modi to secure the release of 15 fishermen and several boats which are currently in Sri Lankan custody.<\/p>\n

During her visit, Swaraj is also scheduled to meet President Maithripala Sirisena.<\/p>\n

During an interview with a Tamil TV channel in last\u00a0March<\/span><\/a>, the Prime Minister had made very strong comments regarding the contentious fishermen issue that has ruffled the Indian government feathers, particularly since he had justified the shooting of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka Navy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Sri Lankan navy is only acting as per law when it fires at Indian fishermen entering Lankan waters and therefore they should keep away,\u201d the PM had told Thanthi TV broadcast last evening. He has made these controversial comments while talks are ongoing between the fishermen groups from both sides.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone tries to break into my house, I can shoot. If he gets killed, law allows me to do that . . . This is our waters. Fishermen of Jaffna should be allowed to fish. We stopped them from fishing. That\u2019s why the Indian fishermen came in. They (Jaffna fishermen) are willing to have a deal. Let\u2019s have a reasonable settlement but not at the cost of the livelihood of northern fishermen,\u201d he had said and adding insult to injury, he had gone on to state that he does not perceive the shooting of fishermen as amounting to human rights violations.<\/p>\n

These comments have sparked uproar amongst Indian politicians who have strongly criticized the PM\u2019s statements. Congress leader Manish Tewari has criticized the BJP, as he questioned whether the Indian diplomacy has stooped to such a level that Sri Lanka is threatening to shoot fishermen who inadvertently crossed the international boundary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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