Pak, India must put visible demarcation in Arabian Sea

[Xeric]

Pak, India must put visible demarcation in Arabian Sea | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

Pak, India must put visible demarcation in Arabian Sea

By: Shafi Baloch | Published: July 06, 2009

KARACHI - The Pakistani and Indian civil society have announced to launch a campaign to release the detained fishermen of India and Pakistan.
Addressing the Press conference at Karachi Press Club on Sunday, representatives of both the counties said that millions of fishermen of both India and Pakistan had been victimised by the authorities of both the countries due to their prolong and unsettled disputes.
The Press conference was addressed by Karamat Ali of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Mohamad Ali Shah of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), Syed Iqbal Haider of Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRCP), Kavita Srivastave of Peoples Union of India, Dr Sandeep Pandey, a human rights activist in India, Jatin Desai, an activist of fishermen rights in India, and others. “On behalf of South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE), they have decided to take up the issue of detained fishermen by launching a regional-level campaign. The fishermen of both the countries are frequently attacked, arrested and even killed by naval forces of both the countries and their fishing boats are confiscated,” they added.
They said that the poor fishermen were put in prisons for years in the charges of crossing the water zones of their respective countries, and they were also not produced in any court of law for years.
They further said that delay in Sir Creek border issue were creating miseries for fishermen, since there was no visible demarcation in the sea water between India and Pakistan. Therefore, the fishermen of both the countries easily stray into the water zones of each other’s country due to severe weather.

 

[SSGPA1]

I don't think demarcation would help because both the PN and IN knowingly cross each others' naval boundaries to arrest these poor folks.

We need a better Cost Guard who can stop IN from entering our Naval space and arresting our poor fishermen.

 

[Xeric]

I don't think demarcation would help because both the PN and IN knowingly cross each others' naval boundaries to arrest these poor folks.

We need a better Cost Guard who can stop IN from entering our Naval space and arresting our poor fishermen.

Well you might be right, but if demarcated, the fishermen would have no excuse that they have crossed the boundary un-knowingly. Though i think if the boundary is clearly marked, both the Navies would need something more than curiosity to cross over the marked boundaries in order to catch these fishermen.

 

[ajpirzada]

we need a concrete wall......
just kiddin.

 

[skeptic9]

It's very reasonable thought Iimo. those poor fishermen have to pay the price of their nation's enmity.

 

[wtf]

Well you might be right, but if demarcated, the fishermen would have no excuse that they have crossed the boundary un-knowingly. Though i think if the boundary is clearly marked, both the Navies would need something more than curiosity to cross over the marked boundaries in order to catch these fishermen.

If it were only so simple.

I am assuming they are talking about Gujarat border (Sir Creek Area). The border line is not clearly defined for it to be marked. The Creek flows right on the border. Some maps showed that the border started on the Eastern side of the creek. After a dispute, a tribunal was set up, giving Pakistan some part of the claimed areas and giving India some.

But later the Creek itself has shifted towards the west giving India some benefit if the border was marked along its banks. That started the dispute.Now if the area is disputed, According to international principles, the border should be marked midway between the banks of the creeks which would again give India some benefit.

India wants to settle the maritime boundaries first (shipping) while Pakistan wants the whole dispute settled in one go and possible (non-UN) third party mediation.

None of this would be a problem if the creek border was only the area that is contested, it could be quickly settled. The line marking the border between the creek would extend out into the sea for a few kilometers so the area that is disputed is large. To make things worse, it's not just the fishing rights. There are rumours that there might be gas under the sea.


That said, I am not sure if the statement means that Pakistan too wants maritime borders settled first and demarcated. Not sure if fishing lines actually follow maritime boundaries. I think this would depend on the definition of "coastal shelf". If it is, that would be a great first step.

 

[wtf]

A non-Indian report on the area (Chinese paper)
Asia Times Online :: South Asia news, business and economy from India and Pakistan

and Pakistani one (not sure how definitive)
Why the sqabble over Sir Creek! | Pakistan Daily

 

[Zob]

we can't solve SIR CREEK....i wonder if we will ever be to solve KASHMIR.....

 

[Xeric]

Creek is just one of the problems, it has to be solved, but the question here is the fishermen-catching-spree that both the side takes enjoyment in. Marking a maritime border would definitely solve the problem to some extent if not completely. i dont think the issue of 'border dispute' was anywhere in the discussion here.

 

[Reddy]

How exactly are we going to do it ? put a rope or build a wall ?