India to repatriate 321 fishermen to Myanmar

Port Blair, Nov 25 (UNI) The Indian government will repatriate 321 Myanmarese fishermen from Andaman Islands, who have completed their jail term in the remote islands.

Inspector General S P Sharma, Commander of Andaman and Nicobar Coast Guard Region, told UNI today that these fishermen were apprehended by Coast Guard and police in various anti-poaching operations.

''These fishermen will be repatriated to Yangoon in two different batches in three Coast Guard ships - ICGS Vajra, ICGS Akka Devi and ICGS Ganga Devi,'' Mr Sharma said.

The first batch of 160 Myanmarese poachers, now called fishermen after completing their jail term, will reach Yangoon in these three Coast Guard Ships tomorrow morning.

''The second batch of 161 Myanmarese fishermen will be sent from Port Blair again in these three Coast Guard ships on December 3 to reach Yangoon on December 5,'' the Inspector General added.

On their return, the ship will bring back six innocent fishermen of Hutbay, whose boat, due to rough weather, had strayed into Myanmar waters.

''The repatriation has been planned consequent to the agreement between the Union of Myanmar and Indian government,'' the Commander of Andaman and Nicobar Coast Guard Region said, adding this is the third repatriation process during his tenure.

Indian Coast Guard ships had repatriated 432 Myanmarese fishermen in 2007.

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