KOLLAM: “We need justice. Nobody else in future should confront such a situation which I went through. The loss that I suffered is permanent and cannot be repaired by money,” said Dora, widow of Valentine Jelastine, who died in the Italian gunfire.
She was reacting to the UN-liked international tribunal directing both India and Italy to suspend proceedings in the case.
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea also said India has no right to take action against the marines pending international arbitration.
Two fishermen from Neendakara here, Jelastine and Ajesh Pinku, died in a firing from marines guarding Italian oil tanker M T Enrica Lexie on February 15, 2012. The court also ordered both the countries to submit a report on September 24.
“The Italian government amply helped the relatives of the dead to move forward. It also reduced the impact of the mishap,” Rajesh Martin, the priest who helped the families procure aid from the Italians, told DC.
“The Central government has done nothing to help the relatives. The rest of the case is a diplomatic issue”. The relatives were given Rs. 1 crore each as compensatory money by the marines after the incident and the relatives pardoned them.
Ms Dora makes a living from her job at the fisheries department provided by the state government as a compensation.
The ship opened fire at the fishing vessel St. Antony with the victims onboard in the Indian Ocean. The marines Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone were charged with homicide under IPC.
