By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, April 3, 2020: An organization working for the well-being of the fishermen community has urged India’s Ministry of External Affairs to repatriate Indian fishermen from Iran.
As many as 762 people from Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu states are employed as contract workers in Iran to work in fishing boats.
These fishermen are employed in Kish, Chiruyeh, Sharakh, Asaloor, Mogham, Lavan, Queshem and Kangan. Most places are islands in Iran.
The South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF) on April 2 appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to repatriate the poor fishermen immediately from Iran either by Air or by Sea, said its secretary Father John Churchill Bas.
Copies of the letter were sent to chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and the Indian Ambassador in Iran.
The fisheries harbors in Iran are closed for fishing activities in Iran due to Coronavirus. The Indians can neither come out of the harbor to buy needs nor venture into the sea for fishing, Father Bas added.
The letter noted that the Indians now faced scarcity of food as all shopping center around the harbors are closed. “They are even suffering for their drinking water. The Iranian sponsors are not ready to provide food for the fishermen,” it added.
The fishermen are staying in their fishing boat in the harbor water itself because they are not provided accommodation in the land. They are living in an unhealthy atmosphere in Iran.
“The fast-spreading Coronavirus created fear in fishermen. If any of the fishermen is attacked by the virus then all them will be affected immediately because they are staying together without any protection and care,” said Father Bas said.
“They [Indian fishermen] are to be repatriated without any delay before being affected by COVID-19,” the priest said.
Father Churchill who is based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, is coordinating the matter on behalf of the fishermen.
He has requested Father Susai Sebastian, vicar general of Delhi archdiocese, to coordinate with the ministry and other federal agencies.
When contacted Father Sebastian said, “I feel so sad why no government authority has taken up the issues of these fishermen. The External Affairs of the Indian government and the Indian Embassy in Iran are aware of this.”
The fishermen need food immediately, the Delhi priest told Matters India.
Father Sebastian has also reportedly spoken to K. J. Alphons, former federal Minister of State for Culture and Rajya Sabha member, about the fishermen’s concern. Alphons reportedly informed the priest that the government will attend to it after the 21-day lockdown ends on April 14 in India.