Happy Sri Lanka releases Indian fishermen

A day after India softened its stand and abstained from voting on a US-backed UN resolution against Sri Lanka over war crimes in the country, the ‘happy’ Sri Lankan government today released all 98 Indian fishermen who were captured by their navy for alleged poaching.

“The President this morning has ordered the release of all Indian fishermen,” Wijayananda Herath, a presidential spokesman informed news agencies.

“There are 98 fishermen and 62 boats to be released. The President’s instructions have gone to the Attorney General’s Department and the Ministry of Fisheries to make the necessary arrangements for their release,” Herath said.

India was abstained on UNHRC vote on the resolution against Sri Lanka’s alleged human rights abuses against Tamils. Earlier India had voted against Sri Lanka in UN in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

Sri Lanka has hailed India’s stand and said the bilateral relations between both the countries will be improved.

 “India for example, they had voted in favour of the US both in 2012 and 2013. They departed from that course of action this time. This is a very significant development,” External Affairs Minister GL Peiris said.

The US-backed resolution for an international probe into alleged war crimes during the civil war in Sri Lanka which ended in 2009 was adopted with a 23-12 vote in UN Human Rights Council at Geneva on Thursday. 

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