Catholic bishops and priests of the Latin Catholic Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram are at the forefront of massive Fishermen’s Protest in Kerala, south India in the last two weeks.
The protest erupted on August 10, when thousands of fishermen came out on the streets with their boats and their fishing nets.
Fisherfolk are demanding rehabilitation and jobs for the fishermen displaced by natural calamities of coastline erosion, construction of the Adani Port at Vizhinjam and the new legislation on coastline protection.
More than 100 families lost their homes to coastal erosion alone in the last year, but there is no official data on the relocated families except for some church records. Several hundred families are living in schools and camps, in rented accommodation or with relatives since 2018.
Latin Catholic Church, under the leadership of the Archdiocese of Trivandrum, is backing the protesters. Bishops of the Coastal dioceses openly support the cause of the fishermen.
In the 24x7 protests, many priests and nuns join hands with the protesters and one can see posters mingled with the yellow-white flags of the Latin Catholic Church.
The Archdiocesan Vicar-General Father Eugene H Pereira, who is the general convener of the agitation, tells that successive governments have betrayed the people of the coast. “Over the years, as various development projects came up, our people were deprived of the coast that is so key to their livelihoods.”
One priest said: The fishermen's community, as well as the Church, are equally concerned over the issue, adding that “the protests would intensify if the government did not listen to their demands at the earliest."
Why the Protests
Fisherfolk are now protesting in front of the gates of the Adani Group’s Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited at Vizhinjam near the Kerala Capital. They are also protesting in boats on the sea.
The protesters fear that the Indian rupees 7,500-crore deep-sea port project coming up at Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram, will cause sea erosion and result in a potential loss of their traditional livelihood.
The fisherfolk also fear that the proximity of the port to the fishing harbor will impact the tranquility of the sea and fishing. There are apprehensions that the proposed shipping channel will prevent fishing near the coastline.
Since construction began, fisherfolk have had to travel deep into the sea for catching, and this has increased fuel costs.
As the protests entered the second week, Church leaders have succeeded to muster support from other religious sections of fishermen in the coastal areas.
In a new development, All Kerala Catholic Congress (AKCC) members from the hilly regions of Kerala have joined the protesters expressing solidarity. The people of the high ranges of Kerala are facing similar situation due the declaration of their cultivated lands adjacent to forests as forest buffer zone in a faulty ecological policy of the Government for getting carbon money funding.
All the political parties are keeping away from the protests as they have gained in one way or other from the project.
The demands of the protesters
The biggest demand of the protesters is that the construction of the Adani deep-water port and container transshipment terminal at Vizhinjam near the capital Thiruvananthapuram should be stopped.
The community has also put forward six other demands: (i) rehabilitation of families who lost their homes to sea erosion, (ii) effective steps to mitigate coastal erosion, (iii) financial assistance to fisherfolk on days weather warnings are issued, (iv) compensation to families of those who lose their lives in fishing accidents, (v) subsidized kerosene, and (vi) a mechanism to dredge the Muthalappozhi fishing harbour in Anchuthengu in Thiruvananthapuram district.
According to sources, the state government of Kerala had promised these fishermen a sizable package following the construction of the Adani port, but nothing has been done on that front so far, which is affecting their livelihood. Many of the demands of the coastal community, including a proper rehabilitation plan, are pending with the state government.
Latin Catholic Church has traditionally played a big role in the socio-economic lives of the fishermen in the region, who mostly belong to this Catholic sect. The church leadership has vowed to support the protest till all demands are met.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
