Fishermen in Jaffna allege that the fresh understanding between Sri Lankan  and Indian governments over fisheries issue have left the Jaffna fishermen out of the equation.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered to release 98 Indian Fishermen who were jailed in Sri Lanka after India abstained from voting on the US backed resolution on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC. Although Tamil Nadu fishermen have been released along with their boats, both countries are still indecisive on the recommencement of fishermen level talks between India and Sri Lanka.

In a context where dates are not yet fixed for the second round of talks, Jaffna fishermen allege that matter is still at a standstill.

“The Sri Lankan government released the Indian fishermen after India abstained at Geneva. Both governments have reconciled, the Tamil Nadu fishermen are also happy, but our future alone remains a big question mark,” N.M. Aalam, president of the Mannar Fisheries Cooperative Union had told Meera Srinivasan of the ‘The Hindu’ newspaper.

“All that is fine, but we need a lasting solution. The Sri Lankan government needs a consistent policy on this. The talks have to be held,” Aalam  had told on Monday, adding that northern fishermen are concerned that they have become pawns in what fishermen perceive as diplomatic trade-offs.

 Speaking to ‘Asian Mirror’ in this regard, a senior spokesman of the government expressed confidence that fishermen level talks between India and Fishermen could be recommenced soon as the two governments, according to him, are in the process of ironing out differences.