Maritime body MUI plans silent protest before Chinese embassy for early release of stuck sailors

The government last week had said 39 Indian sailors stuck in China will soon be brought back as diplomatic talks are on with the neighbouring country.The Maritime Union of India MUI, the oldest union of merchant navy officers, has sought permission from the government for a silent protest in front of the Chinese embassy on January 11, 2021.

Maritime body MUI on Monday said it plans to hold a silent protest before the Chinese embassy here to press for early release of stuck Indian seafarers on stranded cargo vessels at various Chinese ports. The government last week had said 39 Indian sailors stuck in China will soon be brought back as diplomatic talks are on with the neighbouring country.

The Maritime Union of India (MUI), the oldest union of merchant navy officers, has sought permission from the government for a silent protest in front of the Chinese embassy on January 11, 2021. For the past six months, Indian seafarers have been stranded aboard over 40 cargo vessels at the anchorage off Chinese ports of Caofeidian, Jingtang and Bayuquan, MUI said in a statement. ''Unfortunately, Chinese government is not permitting these ships into the ports to discharge cargo exported by countries like Australia,'' it added. These Indian seafarers are currently working on-board on extended contracts.

Families of Indian seafarers too are suffering during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and are desperately approaching MUI for help, the statement said, adding the Indian seafarers are undergoing mental fatigue, stress and psychological issues as they are being forced to remain on ships by Chinese authorities. ''We have planned a protest in front of The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in New Delhi on January 11, 2021. ''We have approached New Delhi police to give us the permission for the protest as over 100 MUI members will participate in the proposed 'Dharna' while following necessary precautions such as social distancing, mask, use of sanitizers etc,'' MUI General Secretary Amar Singh Thakur said.

The body said seafarers are designated as 'Essential Service' providers as per The Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1968, and are also considered key workers by the International Maritime Organization. Ship management companies are ready for ship-to-ship crew changes or after berthing at the ports closest to their present anchorage in China, but Chinese authorities are not allowing this citing various procedural reasons, it said.

''We are now left with no other option but to hold such a silent protest as it's an unfair treatment to Indian citizens,'' said Thakur. MUI has also sought support from the New Delhi office of the London-headquartered International Transport Workers' Federation to secure safe and early release of stranded Indian seafarers.

Last week, Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had said, ''Diplomatic talks are going on for this (release of stuck sailors) successfully. Our seafarers will come to India soon.'' China on December 25 had said that there is no 'link' between the stranded Indian ship crew and its strained relations with India and Australia. The statement had come a day after the External Affairs Ministry had said that two cargo vessels with a total of 39 Indians on board have been on anchorage in Chinese waters as they were not allowed to unload their cargo.