Tuesday, January 11 2005 16:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Port Blair: Abandoned by their Government and suffering years of endless wait, hundreds of foreign detainees lodged at a special jail camp in Port Blair feel that the tsunami has sealed their release hopes with the countries busy in rehabilitation efforts.

Inside the Pathrapur jail, which has 229 foreigners in a separate camp of tin-roof barracks, there is increased restlessness among the inmates, some waiting for over six years after their sentences ended.

With 227 Myanmarese, one Sri Lankan and one Bangladeshi, the camp on a picturesque hilltop off Port Blair wears a solemn look as its inhabitants tread the thin line between faint hope and abysmal despair. ''Most of us have been waiting for long years to be taken back by our country. But despite several representations to the Union Home Ministry and the National Human Rights Commission, nothing seems to be moving,'' says 25-year old Goswami, a resident of the LTTE-infested Vatakutti village in Kilinocchi area of Sri Lanka.

Caught for illegal transgression into Indian Territory in a cargo ship that sailed from Colombo in March 1997, Goswami, who has lost both his parents in a grenade attack, had not been taken back by his Government despite completing a three-year sentence long back.

''We don't know how much longer we will have to spend in this difficult condition. The tsunami seems to have set back the process of our release by several years,'' laments 45-year old Tanchi from Myanmar, who is in Port Blair since November 2003 after serving a six-month sentence for illegal fishing.

Besides Tanchi, who has two wives, one of who died recently, and four children, his compatriot Noor Karim is also here. This 18-year old youth, from southern Myanmarese area of Yakain, was also caught for illegal fishing on the Indian side of the sea.

The post commander of this special camp, Hawaldar Major Jagdish Prasad Srivas of the 125 Battalion of CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) reveals that most of the detainees are fishermen caught for illegal fishing or transgression of boundaries.

''Their Governments have not shown much interest in taking then back. So they have to be kept in this special camp after they have served their jail terms,'' he says.

After the early morning routine roll call, known as the 'marker', the detainees are served a breakfast of grams, bread, eggs and tea which is followed up by lunch and dinner.

To while away time and earn a few Rupees in the process, the inmates make woodcarvings and sculptures.

''But how long can we sustain ourselves like this? We need to draw the attention of our Government by some means,'' says Bipul Biswas, the lone Bangladeshi from Narayanpur area.

Caught from Nicobar for illegal fishing, his sentence came to an end after three years in September 2004.