309. India Against Italy

The Two Marò under arrest in Kochi- India

We all know that the grass is always greener on the other side and so Indian fishermen are often found floating outside Indian territory into the international waters of the Arabian Sea where the chances of catching better fish are greater.

However, that is a dangerous move because, and the Indian authorities, in particular that of Kochi in Kerala, are only too well aware, that international ships, including those of India, have been repeatedly attacked by pirates and held for ransom.  Hence when you get an international military body set up to safeguard those ships  in those waters from piracy, it is inevitable that if you are fishing in those areas you place yourself at risk automatically, especially if you don’t identify yourself as happened in this case.

Another thing worthy of note in this situation is that the trickery in which the Italian ship was captured by Indian Authority can best be compared to that of the Trojan horse.  The Indian authority of Kerala with the ploy of offering assistance after a suspected attack of piracy were able to draw the Italian ship into port and put the two Marò (military sailors) under lock and key.  And of course the Italian commander of the Enrica Lexie and other Italian authorities involved, must have been as obtuse and naive as they come.

As it turned out, the fishermen were not pirates but normal fishermen and the families have been generously compensated by the Italian government, though, let us remember, the Italian government was not obliged to do so since the fishermen were out of bounds, but the offer of compensation only goes to show the good faith and desire to maintain peaceful relationships with India.  But above all it is a way to show that Italian military personnel are not trained to be ferocious killers, but merely carrying out their peace keeping mission duties.  Let us also remember if the fishermen were not fishing outside Indian borders, they would still be alive today.

If, as at the moment the Indian Authority in Kochi is holding the two military sailors, who as I have said, were merely doing their duty, are to be condemned for doing so- then there is no justice- and the Authorities of Kochi in Kerala are well aware of that, but money spurred by pride is a much more tantalizing option.


Petition to release the Marò