Monitoring Desk

New Delhi/Islamabad  

Over 30 organizations around South Asia and beyond have endorsed a joint statement about cross-border prisoners initiated and coordinated by the South Asia Peace Action 9SAPAN) Network, calling for the humane treatment of cross-border prisoners and to decriminalize inadvertent illegal border crossings.

Titled ‘Release prisoners on completion of jail term, decriminalize inadvertent border crossings, especially for fisherfolk and minors‘, the statement draws attention to the death of two Indian fisherfolk in Pakistani custody this year, and the death of a Pakistani fisherman of Bengali origin in India’s custody last year.

All three had served their sentences but remained in custody on ‘the other side’. Compounding the tragedy, there are terrible delays in the repatriation of the bodies of such fisherfolk, notes the statement.

The statement also draws attention to some teenagers who remain incarcerated in juvenile centers in India, mostly without any contact with their families. One has already served his sentence but remains incarcerated.

Kalu Vira, a fisherman from India incarcerated in Pakistan died at a hospital in Karachi on 6 July 2022. He had completed his jail term in December 2021, and his nationality had been verified.

After his passing, it took over 10 days for the Pakistan authorities to inform the Indian High Commission about the death.

As of 31 July, Kalu Vira’s mortal remains are yet to be repatriated. Meanwhile his family members came to learn of the tragedy through other means and are desperately awaiting the return of his mortal remains.

This is not the first time a fisherman has died while incarcerated on ‘the other side’. It typically takes well over a month to repatriate mortal remains of an Indian or a Pakistani who dies while incarcerated in the other country. The repatriation is carried out through Wagah border although most such incarcerations are in the southern coastal areas.

Nano Ram, another Indian fisherman, completed his jail sentence in Pakistan on 16 January 2019. He died at a cardiovascular hospital in Karachi on 3 February 2022. His remains were repatriated on 4 April 2022.

Amir Hamza, a Bengali migrant fisherman from Karachi arrested by the Indian Coast Guards in 2017 died of Covid-19 in India in June 2021. It took the authorities three months to repatriate his body to Pakistan. He, too, had completed his prison sentence but was kept languishing in custody.

When fisherfolk cross the unmarked maritime borders in the region, lengthy incarceration is just one of the risks they face. Currently, Pakistan holds 632 Indian fishermen in Landhi Jail, Karachi, while India holds 95 Pakistani fishermen in prisons in Gujarat. All were arrested for inadvertently crossing the maritime boundary.

Even after serving their jail sentences, they end up remaining in prison. Had Kalu, Manu and Hamza been repatriated promptly after having completed their sentences they might have been alive today.

We note that Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi fisherfolk arrested by India and vice versa also face similar issues.

In some cases, border patrol personnel on the other side have shot dead fisherfolk caught transgressing the unmarked maritime border. This happens between Pakistan and India, and also between Bangladesh and India.

Additionally, several minors who inadvertently crossed the border across the Line of Control in the disputed area of Kashmir, are lodged in reformatory centers on the other side. In some cases, they are repatriated within days, once their identities are verified and contact is made with families across the border.

Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi fisherfolk arrested by India and vice versa also face similar issues. In the case of Sri Lanka and India, there are generally fairly fast repatriations, sometimes within weeks of arrest, including boats being returned.

We call on the governments of the region to immediately take following steps:

Release and repatriate prisoners of each other’s country as soon as they have completed their prison sentences, particularly aged prisoners, women prisoners and civilian prisoners with minor offences. Promptly return any fishing boats that are confiscated.

Revive the India-Pakistan Joint Judicial Committee on Prisoners and allow medical teams of the other country to periodically visit and conduct inspections. Institute similar bilateral committees between India-Sri Lanka, and India-Bangladesh.

Allow consular access to cross-border prisoners and communication between them and their relatives, including the option of online communication.

Allow those who are jailed in or who die in Sindh and Gujarat to be repatriated through the sea route or Khokhrapar border rather than having to travel 1000 km up-country to Wagah-Atari border, and down again to their homes; Decriminalize inadvertent border crossings; All countries of the region must institute measures to ameliorate the plight of the incarcerated in their custody, particularly cross-border prisoners. This will also help build confidence and trust between the two countries and improve overall neighborly relations in the South Asian region.

The following organizations have endorsed the statement:

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum

National Fishworkers Forum, India

National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, Sri Lanka

Aaghaz-e-Dosti

Aman Ki Asha

Centre for Social Justice – Pakistan

Confederation of Voluntary Associations, COVA – India

Haqooq Khalq Party Pakistan

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) – India

Nijera Kori – Bangladesh

Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee

People’s Watch – India

People for Peace and Change – India, Pakistan

Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy, PIPFPD

Peace and Development Organization – Pakistan

Pakistan Institute of Labor and Education Research, PILER

People’s Union For Civil Liberties, India

South Asia Peace Action Network

South Asia Partnership-Pakistan

South Asia Citizens Web

Tehrik-e-Niswan, Pakistan

Boston South Asian Coalition

Sangat – South Asia

Samaaj

American Alliance of Physicians for Peace in South Asia

International Solidarity for Academic Freedom in India

Uks Research Centre – Pakistan

Anna’s Tuin en Ruigte, Amsterdam

Bebaak Collective – India

Driksakshi – India

_________________

Courtesy: South Asia Peace Action Network

The post Over 30 organizations demand decriminalizing inadvertent border crossings first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Gulsher Panhwer

Manchhar Lake, once largest natural freshwater reservoir of Pakistan and one of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia has lost its majesty. From repository of aquatic life, adorned by fauna, it has been turned to cesspool of sewage mixed saline water.

Manchhar in Sindhi language is a compound word ‘Man’ and ‘Chhar’ – Man means heart and Chhar connotes wide expense of water. According to historians, 8 to 10 thousand years ago Manchhar Lake was formed after Indus River changed its course. Pne of the authentic historical source Tarikh-e-Mazhar Shahjahani, records that Numree tribes resided around the Manchhar in ancient times. Primordial archaeological sites of Lal Chatto, Mashak Lohri and Lakhiyo situated along the edge of Lake Manchhar are the most ancient sites that give testimony of the rich historical background of the Manchhar Lake. In its heydays tens of thousands of households in the Manchar Lake had around 2,000 residential boats.

According to researcher Feroz Memon, there were 2600 species of plants, animals, fish and a habitat for migratory birds was provided by this lake. The lake water which expended from 200 to 500 KMs during heavy monsoon and flash flood from Nai Angai and Nai Gaj irrigated 600,000 acres of land.

Till 1921, main water flow sources for Manchhar was Nai Gaj and other smaller torrential streams flowing from Khirthar Mountain to Manchhar. Other main source of feeding and the main reason for Manchhar’s downfall is Main Nara Valley drain (MNV) constructed in 1921. Before introduction of irrigation canal system by British, the mighty torrential stream Nia Gaj flowed from northwest to east and released in Indus River. To save the irrigation system in barrage area of Johi taluka of Dadu district from flash flood of Nai Gaj, the British constructed flood protection boulder called Teer Bhit which diverted the Nai Gaj’s water flow from east to south. This diverted water besides helping in cultivation of rain fed semi desert plains of Kachho also filled Manchhar. The third source was from Indus River through Aral Wah which filled Manchhar when there was low or little flow from torrential stream Nai Gaj.

In the start due to abundance of fresh water from Nai Gaj and Aral Wah and very little flow from MNA Drain, the Manchhar continued its status of flourishing fresh water lake. But as the traditional fresh water flow decreased due to climate change and other factors and MNV drain was widened and deepened by excavating its bed, saline and sewerage water volume increased in MNV drain. This started playing havoc with aquatic and ecological fabric of the lake.

The slow and steady poisoning extracted its heavy toll on the lake and  Fisher folks livelihood as Fish catch decreased from 700 million tons in 1990 to 75 million  in 2004 and no cache at all today expect a small and tasteless fish species called Paaplet, which  is sold for pittance.

Fisher folk not only lost the income source from fish from the lake, which also attracted and hosted millions of migratory birds, which were other main source of income. Due to disappearing of natural feed like fish and disappearance of shelter, there were almost no migratory birds seen during this winter season.

Fauna, which provided feed and enabling environment to fish and birds also worked as third main source of income for fisher folks. The thick cover of Pubun plant worked as income basket, as its delicious seed with milky taste were sold in the market on good price; the root of the plant bore bih (used as popular vegetable) was in great demand and when water receded, tons of bih provided additional income to the prosperous fisher folk communities.

The lotus or kanwal flower adorned the length and breadth of the Manchhar and besides unique boat homes increased the beauty of the lake and was big attraction for tourists. Thriving tourism was fourth source of income for the fisher folks. All the booming income sources also created economy of scale and carpentry, transportation, fish shops and other linked business flourished in whole District (then Dadu District).

Survival of fittest resulted in widespread migration. Some 40,000 fisher folk had migrated to coastal area in Karachi to make out their living. This migratory trend still continues. Those migrated had their own problem to face in new and competitive environment of the sea fishing. Those left out behind are living the lives of penury and misery. Besides wiping out their traditional livelihood sources the poisonous water is devastating the health of the residents. Typhoid, diarrhea, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, TB and other water borne and skin disease are common among the wretched dwellers of the lake. In 2004, 30 people expired due to consumption of contaminated lake water. During this writer visit to the lake along with guests from Islamabad, the emaciated fisher folk shared that they have nothing to eat; each house hold spent Rs.50 per jerry can of water which is fetched and sold by local watermen and those who cannot afford this, have to consume highly contaminated water.

On zero point there we saw 50 to 70 families living in straw made homes. No school, no health center – only abject living condition can be observed.

One fisher folk on the condition of anonymity shared that they used to eke out their meagre living from catching paplet fish but local landlord has imposed ban on catching even the only left out fish species.

Fisher folk has their fair share in accelerating destruction of the lake. Even when fish was enough, they used thin nets, poisonous powder in greed of big catch. This also contributed in disappearing of some very good fish species. For last several years, fisher folks in desperation caught tiny fish and after drying these fish sold it as the poultry feed. During one visit previous year when this writer asked the fisher folk why they are destroying their own livelihood by catching and selling these tiny seed fish, they retorted that hunger knows no bound.

After constant hue and cry by media and representative fisher folk bodies, the government conceived and started Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD) project in 1993 to divert MNV drain water to the sea which was believed to restore the Manchhar to its fresh water lake status and rehabilitate the fish folk.  But after the passage of nearly 3 decades the project is still in limbo.  It’s unlikely that this project would see light of the day sooner.

Now the fisher folk have artificially planted pan plant in cluster. This, they believe, has started attracting fish as it provides shelter and feeds to fish and birds. This pan plant is also sold for erection of straw shelter.

With ban on tiny fish (fish seed) and planting of pan through self-initiative by fisher folk there is chances that few left out fisher folk would find substance level livelihood opportunities. However, restoration of Manchhar needs political will on the part of the government to undertake intensive consultative process with fish folks, environmental experts and other relevant stakeholders followed by comprehensive and sustainable rehabilitation measures. The part of the lake falls in the constituency of the present Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah. Other advantage is that for last many decades PPP is continuously in power. Thus there is no issue of discontinuity or abandoning the rehabilitation project by another political party (s) in power. What needed is political will. The Manchhar is not only important from economic point of view but it was and can be upholder of rich cultural heritage. Sindh government has to take measure to persevere this economic and cultural heritage.

_________________

Gulsher Panhwer is a freelance writer mostly touching the environmental, cultural and such other issues. He can be reached at gulsherp@yahoo.com

The post Manchhar Lake – From Majesty to Misery first appeared on Sindh Courier.