Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MD)

Mangaluru, Nov 21: Well-known social activist Medha Patkar on Friday November 21 flagged off a 10-day boat rally from Mangaluru to Thiruvananthapuram, organized by National Fishworkers' Forum, Kerala Swathanthra Malsya Thozhilali Federaton (Kerala Independent Fishworkers Federation) and Karnataka Coastal Fishermen's Action Committee to urge fulfillment of various demands from the central government.

Addressing the gathering at Bunder where the programme was held, Patkar said, "Those residing amid nature and those in sea, like nature lovers and fishermen, have a mother and child relationship. Fishworkers have fought not one but many many battles for the last so many decades. They have shown to the world what unity is, and what a unionised struggle is like. You and I are not just people who belong to the 'save Narmada movement' but also to the national aliance of the people's movements. We are the real witness of the fishermen who have struggled, fought and won.

"People struggled and fought with the government to cancel licences to 200 foreign fishing vessels. People protested and held several hunger strikes. We have to salute them. It is your battle and fight that saved the beautiful coastal land, the fishes and the sources of livelihood which you live with. Even today unity is needed to safeguard the rights of the fishermen."

She further added, "Murari Committee was formed by the UPA government because of the pressure put by the fishermen. But it was Ram Nayak, Ram Vilas Paswan and other political leaders who supported the fishermen rights. There are ministers who are ready to come forward and protect the rights of the fishermen. We also know that the party somethimes change their position. They say one thing when they are in power and another thing when they are in opposition.

"Murari Committee was thrown into the dustbin and Dr Meenakumari Committee was formed. I know that the fishermen are not drunk like Meenalkumari. Fishworkers are alert and active. The beauty lies not just in the individual, it lies in the beautiful sea," she added.

On the debate regarding development at the cost of environment, she said, "Environment versus development dichotomy is fake. There should not be problems between environment and development. There are people whose hands are in nature and feet on the ground, they are the real lovers of nature. They have not sold the rivers, the ground water, land, minerals, sea or fish to foreign corporates. They are the real owners of nature."

"Public sector must survive or how else can the government treasury be filled? Public employment should be kept alive. Special Economic Zones, Special Tourism Zones, Export Economic Zones are specially for corporates. Those who invest money into these are called investors. But when the fishermen sacrifice their lives to invest in rivers and land for natural resources, they are not called the real investers. Fishermen earn their livelihood and also maintain the balance of the environment so that the inter-generational equity and sustainability can be assured," she said.

"Bengre region is beautiful in that it is saved by its very own people. Dr Meenakumari is not a specialist in environment. There are fishermen who want to stay close to their resources like the coast. But they are being shifted and the governmental officers are building houses nearby. We have to save the coast from the big sharks like foreign corporates," Patkar asserted.

Minister for youth, sports and fisheries, Abhayachandra Jain addressing the gathering said that fish is the most sophisticated food source in the world. "My duty is to look after the rights of the fishermen. The central and the state government should respect the fishing community. Medha Patkar has come here to fight for the rights of the fishworkers."

Vasudeva Boloor, vice-president of National Fishworkers Forum (NFF) demanded the union government to appoint independent fisheries minister and subsidized kerosene for country boats. "Provision of Rs 3 per liter of diesel for only those who are below poverty line should be extended to other fishermen who have machine boats. There are a few people who are below poverty line who do not have a machine boat," he said.

"Road tax is meant for vehicles which move on the roads. But imposing tax on the boats is not right. There should be a quota for the fishermen where some percentage of kerosene is provided," he added

T Peter, national secretary of NFF said that the fisheries sector is going into crisis day by day.

He further said that Dr Meenakumari's report on the Indian fishermen was baseless. "Dr Meenakumari says that fishermen cannot go for fishing due to the 200-500 meter of bufferzone and not more than 12 nautical miles. Our fishermen are capable of going near Pakistan, Sri Lanka and other borders.

"This rally is to protect the rights of the fishermen. We will not allow any foreign vessels in our region. We will sink their vessels if they come into our region." he warned.

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