230,000 Indian fishermen protest against local authorities

March 13, 2012: More than 230,000 Christian, Hindu and Muslim fishermen met in front of government buildings on Monday in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Southern India’s Kerala state, to call on the authorities to ensure greater security at sea.
"This is a special event," said Quilon parish priest, Fr Stephen Kulakkayathil. "We hope our government will heed our requests. In the past few weeks, there have been too many incidents that have affected our community."
The protest action, which started in Chingavanam, is organised by the Kerala Fisheries Joint Action Council, a group that includes trade unions and community-based organizations. At the end of the march, a petition was handed to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy.
In it, the petitioners call for the Navy, coast guard, the Shipping Ministry's Mercantile Marine Department and unions to enforce greater maritime surveillance. More staff should also be hired and an emergency hotline should be set up and satellite technology should be used to follow shipping and communicate with local fishing boats. Families of men lost at sea should also receive greater financial aid and job offers, the petitioners demanded.