The Sea Tribes under Siege/ Vareethiah Konstantine/ Kadalveli/ Kindle/2020

 Foreword

The young boy defies his mother’s warning and plays in the incoming waves of the sea. He shrieks with joy and fear and rushes back when the waves touch his feet. His younger sister watches his brother but does not dare go near the sea. Such is our exposure to the sea. Our experience with the fury of the sea is limited to such occasional visits to the beach or to the rare thrilling rides to the Thiruvalluvar statue at Kanyakumari in small boats. We live in awe of the mighty ocean reading news items occasionally about the disasters of sinking of boats in the sea and adventurous young men getting drowned while bathing in the rough beach of Rameswaram. Only after the devastation caused by Tsunami most of us realized how strong and furious the sea could become. We are equally ignorant about the perils the fishermen encounter or about the life of the men and women who are engaged in the fishing industry. To fill this void a few writers are bringing to the people living inland the short and simple annals of the poor fishermen. One of the foremost among them is Vareethiah Konstantine.

Vareethiah Konstantine has authored and published many books on the economic, social and personal life of the fishermen. He has made a thorough study of the various dimensions of the life related to the sea by making field visits, observing the day to day problems of the fishermen and interviewing them. He makes an emotional appeal to the readers to understand their fellow beings who venture into the sea to catch fish and womenfolk carrying the day’s catch on the head to the market place. He appeals to reason also by presenting the various economic issues involved in the fishing industry in Tamil nadu that affect the ordinary fisherman, the legislative measures that fail to protect him and the realities of politics and casteism that play havoc in his struggle to survive. His books in Tamil such as Pazhavetkadu Muthal Neerodi Varai and Karaiku Varatha Meenavathuyaram combine both these aspects.

    Vareethiah as a biologist of repute has unquestionable mastery of the marine life. As a social activist he has specialized in analyzing the social, political and economic life of the people on the sea coasts of Tamil Nadu based on data collected personally by him. So there is authenticity in his arriving at conclusions and genuineness in offering solutions.

    The Sea Tribes under Siege is a collection of carefully analyzed and well documented research articles on certain issues affecting the fishermen community. Protectionism of the government is the watchword of American agricultural industry and in Japan the government is directly involved in the fishing industry.  While such is the case in other countries Indian government enacts legislations and enforces laws to destroy the traditional fishermen to favour multinational companies.  An industry which has a workforce of one and a half lakhs and which earns considerable foreign exchange needs not only support but also adequate protection and encouragement to the workers. The first article analyses how they are denied to the fishermen by the Marine Fisheries Bill (2009). The second and third essays present the life of the fishermen  as well as the concept to living close to  nature as portrayed in literary works from ancient times to the present day. He argues that most modern writers are insensitive to the degradation of natural environment. He cites various issues allied to the main thesis including the atomic power plants. Vareethiah is basically an environmentalist and the fourth article focuses on the need to protect our environment. The author goes beyond the boundaries of Tamil Nadu to project the plight of fishermen in Gujarat in the last essay.

    I have been often telling Prof. Vareethiah that his works of lifelong research on the problems of fishermen must reach a wider audience and have been pestering him to publish them in English. Finally he agreed to do it and this book is in your hands. It is hoped that his observations and views on vital issues of today will be taken to other parts of India and the world.

S. Vincent