New Delhi:
India and Italy are now engaged in serious diplomatic crossfire over the arrest of two Italian marines who shot two fishermen from Kerala at sea. The men arrested were guarding an Italian merchant vessel. Here are 10 reasons why this is becoming a major point of confrontation:
- Italy says that the Indian police took "coercive" and "unilateral" action when it escorted the two soldiers off the oil tanker on Sunday and arrested them.
- The marines allegedly mistook the fishermen for Somalian pirates. They have been charged with murder.
- Italy today sent a top diplomat to India and said Foreign Minister Giulio Terzi will arrive in Delhi next week. Junior Foreign Minister Staffan De Mistura will "continue on a political level the action so far carried out by a delegation of experts from the Italian foreign, defence and justice ministries," the Foreign Ministry said in a note. (Read: Italy sends top diplomat to India)
- In Kerala, the family of one of the fishermen who died has said that the Italian ship - the Enrica Lexie - should not be allowed to leave Kerala till it compensates them for his life.
- A magistrate in Kerala today has issued a search warrant that empowers the police to search the ship and seize the murder weapons.
- The Italian government says the firing took place in international waters and Indian courts do not have the jurisdiction to try the case. Italy says the men have immunity from Indian law because their ship was flying with an Italian flag in international waters; it was on its way from Singapore to Egypt.
- Italian officials also say that armed guards on merchant vessels are required "by a specific Italian law that also corresponds with the needs of UN counter-piracy resolutions."
- External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has publicly urged the Italians to cooperate in the ongoing investigations. "I have been in talks with the Italian Foreign Minister and the Kerala Chief Minister...the law of the land will have to take its own course, we have advised the Italians to cooperate with the Kerala law agencies to achieve an amicable solution," he said.
- Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has termed the incident off the Kollam coast as "cold-blooded murder" and promised "strict legal action".
- The Indian Coast Guard has contradicted the Italians who claim that the aggressive behaviour of the two fishermen provoked the Italians to open fire.