Tamil Nadu fishermen from the village of Rameswaram have launched landmark mass protest against the continued detention of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and have declared their intention to boycott the religious St Anthony’s festival.

In the last two months, over 69 Tamil Nadu fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, reports ABP News. This includes 23 fishermen who were arrested on a single day, 3^rd February. These arrested have been linked to accounts of torture and extrajudicial killings.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has written to India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and India’s External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, requested their intervention to support the immediate release of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

As part of the Tamil Nadu protest, the fishermen of Rameswaram are marching from Rameswaram Port to Ramanathapuram District Collectors to demand the release of detained fishermen, the release of their confiscated boats and to end the Sri Lankan court giving maximum punishment to the fishermen.

The fishermen have also committed to cease all fishing activities indefinitely in the Pal Bay region, reports APB news. Black flags were hoisted on nearly 800 boats that were docked at the Rameswaram Port. 

The protests also include a boycotting of the Sr Anthony’s festival in the islet of Katchatheevu. The religious festival, held on 23-24 February, attracts thousands of Catholics a year and is in honours Anthony of Padua, the patron saint of many fishing communities.

Read more here: Katchatheevu gears up to host thousands for feast of St. Anthony

Katchatheevu has also been a source of political contention. Tamil Nadu politicians have advocated for the return of sovereignty over the islet to India to address ongoing issues of Tamil Nadu fishermen being arrested by Sri Lankan authorities for alleged poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters.

Fishermen on both of the Palk Straits have been affected by the increasing tension overfishing. Selvathurai, the head of the Jaffna Fisherfolk Association, has complained that the government has not been proactive on the issue of fishing and noted the continued difficulties of Jaffna fishermen stating:

 “We experienced a 30 -year-war, we couldn't fish then. Now we are making a living by catching these small fish. We receive no benefits from the government and never have. I ask you then why continue to make our lives difficult"