It is a known fact that Italy and India have been in spats from the forsaken times.
These days everyone is aware of the chopper.scam:
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/311781/italy-unearths-scam-chopper-deal.html while this problem hasn't been dealt away with, two Italian marines( Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone ) are accused of shooting two Indian fishermen in the Arabian sea on 15th feb 2012, whom they had mistaken for pirates. While the trial for them is still up, they were sent to Italy two times, once for christmas and another for voting in their elections. And as Rome refused to send them back, Italy's ambassador Daniele Mancini was held up by Indian authorities to withstand him in India till our plea was heard by their government. So our foreign ministry spoke about this issue addressing that they know about the Vienna convention, yet are still bound by the supreme court to not let him out of the country. Keeping this aside the Italian government opinionated that it was a fault made on both sides. Italy insisted that any restrictions on its ambassador's movements violated conventions on diplomatic relations.India contends the shooting happened in Indian waters, while Italy has insisted the shooting happened in international waters during an international anti-piracy mission and Italy should have jurisdiction.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/311781/italy-unearths-scam-chopper-deal.html while this problem hasn't been dealt away with, two Italian marines( Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone ) are accused of shooting two Indian fishermen in the Arabian sea on 15th feb 2012, whom they had mistaken for pirates. While the trial for them is still up, they were sent to Italy two times, once for christmas and another for voting in their elections. And as Rome refused to send them back, Italy's ambassador Daniele Mancini was held up by Indian authorities to withstand him in India till our plea was heard by their government. So our foreign ministry spoke about this issue addressing that they know about the Vienna convention, yet are still bound by the supreme court to not let him out of the country. Keeping this aside the Italian government opinionated that it was a fault made on both sides. Italy insisted that any restrictions on its ambassador's movements violated conventions on diplomatic relations.India contends the shooting happened in Indian waters, while Italy has insisted the shooting happened in international waters during an international anti-piracy mission and Italy should have jurisdiction.
What would happen if the two marines were handed over to an international court?
It would anyway be lenient on them, it is no different here in India. While the higher authorities such as the PM have assured the Italian government that the marines won't be given a death sentence and the punishment would also be reduced. That aside, by keeping a strong stand of bringing back the marines to India for a trial in a special court( ordered by Supreme court) has to be brought up immediately and it should be seen whether the family of the fishermen is done full justice by punishing the marines for the murder. For all the publicity this issue received it is yet to be seen if due justice is done to the families of the fishermen, or if the diplomacy matters more in trials like this.
TONE: objective
- VJ
It's sad to see the consequences for the decision taken at the spur of the moment. Who are to be blamed here? Those two Italian Marines for doing their job or the innocent fishermen who had set sail to fight with water for their daily food. So easy for both countries to play the blame game and continue to take cautious steps by not bypassing any of the laws to maintain international relations. This is not the first time, Indians or in that case any of the fishermen who were misinterpreted as pirates by the marines. Its so easy to blame the government for not educating the fisherman on how to survive on international waters but how long will the government be ignorant of such incidents which have become surprisingly regular. I guess the Author wanted to point out this in his article when he mentioned the 'publicity' stunt both the countries were trying to achieve by standing upon laws of their own and of the agreements once signed
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