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WEEKLY
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| Families distressed as fishermen languish in Indian jails |
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Saturday, June 20, 2009
By Jan Khaskheli
Karachi
Haji Yousuf Katiar, 80, is disappointed because the government authorities did not pay heed to his request to help get his two sons released. His two sons – the only bread-winners of his family – are languishing in an Indian prison for the last few months along with 22 others. Katiar hails from Atharki, a coastal village (in Thatta) that has lost several men in disasters and boat accidents. At present, 24 fishermen of the village are languishing in Indian jails.
The depressed father is angry at the officials representing the government-run Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS), which, according to him, has done nothing to support the families back home in the absence of their bread-winners.
FCS is a community welfare body that should have announced support to the people in difficult times, but failed to do so, the affected families said. The people of coastal Thatta are vulnerable to cyclones, disasters and floods. They are also victims of Indian border security forces that arrest them while they are engaged in fishing in the open waters, and also confiscate their vessels and fishing tools.
The plight of Jumo Katiar, Mohammed, Abdul Ghani and others like them are similar as the old men are unable to support their families.
The locality, with a population of 7,000, has been deprived of basic facilities. Given the plight of these families, it seems that these people are neither on the agenda of the authorities, nor do they have the support of the human rights groups.
Women, mostly wives, mothers, sisters and children of the detained people appeared distressed while narrating their ordeal, clearly waiting to receive the men of their families. The mothers seemed anxious about their daughters, as they believe their fathers’ presence is essential to arrange their marriages.
The women also said they were nearly starving. Children are unable to go to schools and in case of health problems; they do not know where to go for help. According to the elders, they have several offices and residences of legislators as well as the local influential people for help but realised that the votes they cast are useless because no one has taken note of their complaints.
However, the credit goes to the area’s youth who collected donations at the local level so that the village school would become functional. The latter has 70 children enrolled are being taught by one teacher. They are optimistic about the future generation. Some elders of the locality said that they have lost 12 people who were murdered by the neighbouring country’s border forces while they were out fishing in the open sea.
According to the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), there are 150 Pakistani fishermen in Indian jails while around 500 Indian fishermen are languishing in Pakistani jails. PFF activist Gulab Shah said that seven months ago, the 24 fishermen belonging to Atharki village were caught from Kajir Creek along with three vessels. The creek from where these people were caught comes under Pakistani territory.
PFF said it has launched an effective campaign to raise its voice in the parliament so that both countries can make the issue of detained fishermen a part of their agenda during future dialogue. The PFF claimed it has the support of international fishermen organisations, local human rights and civil society organisations, and will arrange seminars and protests in the federal capital of Islamabad. They urged the need to find a permanent solution for controversial sea territory so that the fishermen can earn a living in peace.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
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