Bereft fisher families urge Govt. to seek release of their loved ones arrested in Myanmar
Little done by authorities to look into welfare of the fishermen or families facing hardships, they charge
Families of a group of fishermen, arrested nearly six weeks ago by the Myanmar navy, have appealed to the Government to intervene and seek the release of their loved ones.
The families charged that neither the local politicians nor the Fisheries Ministry have taken any steps to seek the fishermen's release or look into to the welfare of the families who have been left bereft.
The fishermen had left on a fishing trip from the fisheries harbor in Trincomalee in a multi-day trawler. On the 14th day of their fishing expedition the battery of the boat had exploded and the trawler had drifted towards Myanmar. The six fishermen had been arrested by the Myanmar navy.
The fishermen from Mahawewa have been identified as Warnakulasuriya Krishantha Chathuranga Fernando, Sampath Kumara, Lakamal Prasanna, Marasinghe Arachige Sarath Kumarasiri, Abeysinghe Arachchige Napoleon Nanda and Roshan Fernado. Apart from them Dinushan Chaturanga a resident from Trincomalee was also among the group.
The families said the fishermen had contacted them and had complained that they were not being treated well and not given proper food.
The womenfolk lamented that they have no means of income to provide for their children since their husbands' arrests.
W. Shiromi Malkanthi said that her husband had gone fishing on November 15. "On November 29 he called me and said they had been arrested by the Myanmar navy. I brought this to the notice of the Fisheries Ministry.
“However, nothing has been done,”she said.
Shamila Nilangani, a daughter of one of the fishermen, said that her 60-year-old father is unwell and and requires medication. She said he has to be careful about his diet and he is allergic to certain medicines. She lamented that her father had not spoken to her for over a month, and the last time he spoke to her he complained about the food.
Anoma Sanjeewani, a mother of two, lamented that she is unable to provide for her nine year old son and buy milk powder for her daughter.
She too said she had complained to the provincial politicians and the Fisheries Minister but none have looked into their welfare or the welfare of the fishermen. She added that her husband had not deliberately broken the law but had drifted into Myanmar following mechanical problems in the trawler.
Udeni Swarnalatha said she had three children and one was just five months old. She is facing financial hardships following the arrest of her husbband as he is the sole breadwinner.
On November 29 my husband called me and said they had been arrested by the Myanmar navy. I brought this to the notice of the Fisheries Ministry. However, nothing has been done."