Sri Lankan fishermen who are in custody and whose release has been ordered by the government are dependent on a voluntary organization for their food and other needs as no funds had been allotted by the government for their maintenance.

These Lankan fishermen were detained by the Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy for trespassing the International Maritime Boundary Line. But they are not lodged in prison here or provided facilities, contrary to the method adopted by Sri Lanka in the case of Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan navy for entering their territorial waters.

But here, the arrested Lankan fishermen are kept at Marine police station or lodges. Two fishermen, Albert Rajmon and Mariyan Piradip of Pechalai, were arrested on November 11, 2009, by the Indian Navy for entering Indian waters near Rameswaram.

The ICG arrested five Lankan fishermen, Jude Merlil Santha, Sampath Kumara, Isro Sampath, Sunat Salimtha and Sumith Rosanta of Thoduva, near Puthalam district, while they were fishing in the Gulf of Mannar on November 24. The seven fishermen are under the charge at Mandapam marine police station.

They are being provided food and other amenities by police personnel and Alliance for the Release of Innocent Fishermen (ARIF) on humanitarian grounds.
Meanwhile, ICG personnel detained six Lankan fishermen — Zenath, Piyantha, Pirabath Ranjena, Zmatha Tharisana, Upala Veerakon, Thilsu Vasanthe and Thuvan Uthayantha, near Point Calimere on December 7.

They are being kept in a State-run lodge and are helped by the ARIF. The Indian government had planned the repatriation of the eleven fishermen to Sri Lanka. However, they are spending their days in police charge, awaiting repatriation.

District Collector T N Hariharan told Express that the weather condition was not favorable for handing over the fishermen to Lankan navy personnel at mid sea. The ICG was also awaiting a communication from Sri Lanka that it was ready to accept its fishermen.