Manama: Qatar’s systematic violations and encroachments on Bahrain’s territorial waters were exposed in a documentary aired last night on Sky News Arabia.
Titled Arrows of treachery ... Qatari regime’s violations against Bahrain, the programme highlighted fishermen’s ordeal with the Qatari authorities, which undermined their livelihoods.
They said that Qatari patrols regularly cross into Bahraini territorial waters to arrest them arbitrarily and seize their fishing boats, which represent their lifeline to support their family.
Speaking in the programme, they said Qatar’s systematic encroachments on Bahrain’s territorial waters long predate the current GCC crisis.
The fishermen said that Doha regime violates Qatari court verdicts to make their situation worse, calling on Bahrain’s government to find a solution to this problem by demarcating maritime borders.
Galali Fishermen’s Society chairman Mohammed Jassim Al Dhakhil said that he received complaints from heavily-indebted fishermen who were arrested by Qatar, stressing their difficult conditions after losing their livelihoods.
Noukhadas Adel Al Tawil, Isa Isa Al Allan, Mohammed Al Khairani Habib Abbas, Mohammed Kharfoush and Abbas Ali recalled their ordeals with Qatari patrols firing at them, arresting them arbitrarily and confiscating their boats.
Isa Al Allan said that Bahraini fisherman cannot resist Qatari patrols who are armed, adding that several fishermen have been killed in such aggressions.
Mohammed Al Khairani said that the GPS tools fitted in their boats show their total compliance with the fishing zones inside Bahrain’s territorial waters.
According to the documentary, the Qatari authorities have arrested arbitrarily 2,153 Bahraini fishermen and confiscated 2,153 Bahraini fishing boats from 2010 till this year.
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