Emotional moments at fisherfolk’s stir site in Rameswaram

MADURAI: The ongoing fishermen protest at Thangachimadam, in Rameswaram against Sri Lankan Navy’s arrests and seizing of boats, got a shot in the arm on Sunday as women and children from the community too joined the stir, carrying a poignant story of their plight to the general public.

Governor RN Ravi, who was on a scheduled visit to the region, also happened to meet one of the arrested fisherfolk’s son, carrying an emotional message across.

As the protesters turned down the opportunity to meet the Governor, raising their grievances, the gubernatorial head got out of the car, and met the protesters in person and listened to their grievances. A boy who is desperately waiting for his father to return from the Sri Lankan prison turned emotional when Governor RN Ravi met him at the protest venue. The boy was in tears, carrying a message a million words can’t deliver.

The protest organised by the All Mechanised Boats Fishermen Association got support from the whole community, who cooked gruel as a form of opposition. The protest venue was replete with black flags–symbolic of the pain and tragic situation of the community.

Secretary of the association, VP Sesuraja, shared the fishermen’s plight with the Governor. He made an earnest request to him seeking the intervention of the central government for talks with the Sri Lankan counterpart for a lasting solution to the wrecking issue.

The Centre was able to stop the death penalty of 5 fishers in the past, signifying how they can bring about a positive effect through talks with the Lankan government, they urged.