Indian Fishermen Hope Pakistan Will Release Tuna Boatsff

The release of several hundred Indian fishermen by Pakistan as part of Islamabad’s goodwill gesture to boost the Indo-Pak confidence building measures has given hope to Indian fishermen in this coastal hamlet that Pakistan will return back the fishing trawlers it had earlier seized from them.

A large portion of these boats have also been targeting and chasing skipjack and yellowfin tuna along the Indian coast into Pakistan waters. Many of these boats were operating from the Northern Indian port of Veraval.

The fact that Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf will come to India this month to hold talks with the Indian leadership on various issues has given them fresh hope of starting their life all over again with the boats, the absence of which the fishermen claim is affecting their daily bread and butter.

The fishermen and boat owners in Mangrol Gujarat’s Junagarh district have been leading a miserable life ever since Pakistani authorities seized their boats and trawlers. The seizure has meant a loss of livelihood for these fishermen.

With a trawler costing around fifteen-lakh rupees majority of the boat owners have borrowed money at high interests for buying trawlers. Some on the other hand have put in their lifetime investment for the boats.

Velji dhanji Sukadia is one such boat owner. While one of his trawlers sunk in the sea, Pakistani officials caught the other two months later. A year has passed, and Veljibhai is passing each day with the hope that Pakistani authorities will return back his trawler.

However when news spread that Pakistan was not contemplating returning the boats, his wife went into the state of shock and remained unconscious for eight days. So severe was the shock that her health deteriorated and today, she is barely able to walk a few steps.

On the other hand, people from whom Veljibhai borrowed money for making the trawler are now demanding back the money. The trawler was his only source of income.

“We did not have any problems. We had two boats, one got drowned and the other was taken by Pakistan to their custody. Now I am in debt. It’s huge. I had borrowed money and they are demanding their money back. Our situation is very bad now, my wife is also not well,” said Veljidhanji.

Like Veljidhanji, there are hundred of such boat owners who are living hand to mouth these days. Normally, they borrow money to make trawlers, and return the amount on getting a good catch.

Damodar is another such boat owner. He had borrowed the money on interest. The only boat he owned was caught some four months back. The interest payable is piling up and Damodar sees no future without his trawler.

“This is very bad, we have tried so much to get our boat back but Pakistan is not responding at all. Even the government is not doing anything. What do we do? How do we survive?” said Damodar.

According to Veljibhai Masani, vice-president of the Akhil Gujarat Machimar Mahamandal, the government has not taken up this issue seriously.

“A survey showed that per boat there are 100 people who are earning their livelihood. So for one boat 100 people are jobless and that means 100 families are suffering,” said Veljibhai Masani.

In past 15 days, four boat owners of Porbandar have already committed suicide while Mangrol also reported two suicide cases, when Pakistan refused to return the boats some three years back.

Masani warned that if soon nothing is done, the outcome could be dangerous. The association also warned of adopting path of violence if their trawlers are not returned.

Mangrol in Junagadh district, Porbandar and Wanakbara in Diu are the main centres for making fishing boats and trawlers.

The trawlers take about nine months for completion with one boat, providing livelihood to as many as 100 people. The fishermen association says that presently there are as many as 209 trawlers amounting to over 31 crore rupees lying in Pakistan custody.