NAGERCOIL: Families of five Thoothoor captains, who were detained along with their boats in Seychelles for entering their territorial border, said they have been finding it difficult to manage their livelihoods. They said the money lenders have been forcing them to repay the loans taken for the purchase of the boats since their arrest. Following this, the family urged the state and Central governments to take measures for the early release of the captains.
Five boats along with 61 Indian fishermen, the majority of them from the Kanniyakumari district, were detained by Seychelles authorities. While three boats along with fishermen were detained on March 7, two boats along with fishermen were detained on March 9.
As many as 56 fishermen were freed on March 22, however, five captains – K Kuklin, V Sunil, Jerin, Antony and Maria Sekar – were not released and their boats – Dono, Infant Jesus, St Snabaga Arulappar, Vidya S and Vadi Matha – were also seized. While the boats – Dona and Infant Jesus – had left from Cochin on February 22, Snabaga Arulappar, Vadi Matha and Vidya S had ventured fishing from Thengapattinam on February 21 and 24.
B Simi Kuklin, wife of captain K Kuklin, 40, from Poothurai said Kuklin was rescued by the Indian Navy when his boat sank in the 2017 Ockhi cyclone. After this incident, he was fishing with his new boat ‘Infant Jesus’.
Simi said that as her husband and her boat were detained in Seychelles, the money lenders were forcing her to repay the borrowed money.
She, mother of two children, added that she has been struggling to repay the huge borrowed money and that their livelihood has been shattered.
Similarly, K Maggi, wife of captain V Sunil, 44, from Chinnathurai said they got a house loan believing to repay the huge amount by fishing.
“We also borrowed a loan to buy our boat ‘Dono’,” she said, adding that her brother has also been detained along with her husband. “My father is undergoing treatment and I have no source to help us repay the loan amount that we have borrowed for the boat and the house,” she said.
Her school-going daughters are unable to concentrate on their studies because of the situation, she pointed out and said they have been asking her if their father would return for Easter as their friends’ fathers’ had come home for Easter.
Meanwhile, INFIDET (International Fishermen Development Trust) President P Justin Antony said, “It was because of the governments and the Indian Embassy in Seychelles for all the efforts for the release of the 56 fishers on March 22.”
2 weeks since captains remanded by Seychelles
It has been 15 days since the five captains have been remanded and they have been asked to appear in the Seychelles Court on April 4. We have requested the governments to take all efforts for the release of these captains and their boats without penalty.