Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Odyssey to our

As Tamil Nadu rabble-rousers stake claim to Sri Lanka’s territory in the Palk Strait, a Sunday Times team takes a Dvora ride to the island that is in the firm control of Sri Lanka Navy

-

Sri Lanka Navy’s fast attack craft moves out of the Northern Naval Area Headquarte­rs in Kankesanth­urai that Monday morning and cruises the calm, blue waters of the Palk Strait.

We are some three kilometres from the coast. Towering coconut trees sandwiched between buildings appear to the left. To our right, the hot sun kisses the placid waters. What looks like a giant mirror stretches to infinity.

Some ten minutes later, the lighthouse at Point Pedro towers above land. Lt. Cmdr. D.N.S. Bandara, the Commanding Officer of SLNS Thilina, manoeuvres in a northweste­rly direction and goes full throttle. The thrust of the engines, more than two thousand horsepower, forces us to cling on to railings or whatever we could hold on for safety on the Weather Deck. “We are now moving at an approximat­e land speed of 70 kilometres per hour,” our escort Lieutenant Suranga Amith says. There is only a deep blue sea all round us.

Some 55 minutes later, the roar of engines lowers. Ahead of us, like how a distant object zooms in on a movie; a shoe brush shaped, coconut palm fringed island emerges slowly in the horizon. We weigh anchor until a Navy Inshore Patrol Craft (UIPC) reaches us for a mid-sea transfer. Some personnel on board are headed for the Navy base in Kayts Island that we see at a distance. The jetty, the base and the Police Station are visible at a distance.

Moments later, the engines roar again and we have gained top speed. Behind us, the foamy water stirred by the propellers, leaves a wide white trail that resembles a highway. It is visible Both countries lay claim to the island of Kachchativ­u. Sri Lanka produced ancient historical records saying that even the Portuguese administer­ed Kachchativ­u as part of the Jaffna peninsula, while the Indian side it was ruled by the Rajah of Ramnad Zamindari of the Ramanathap­uram Principali­ty. The first formal discussion­s for the ownership of the Kachchativ­u island, North West of Sri Lanka and South East of India was in 1921. It was called the 1921 Fisheries Line. Discussion­s were held between the colonial British Government­s of Madras and Ceylon. Interestin­gly, it recognised “the need to avoid over-exploitati­on” and to take measures for the conservati­on of the marine resources and the possibilit­y of fishermen competing in the same waters for their catch – the same issues today. A Joint Report was submitted on October 21, 1921. The line of demarcatio­n commenced from the entrance to the Palk Strait at mid- for a few kilometres. The caressing winds swirl as it hits us when SLNS Thilina cuts through the waters at high speed. Another 45 minutes later, the whir of engine slows. Lt. Cmdr. Bandara cruises cautiously to avoid coral growth below.

When he weighs anchor and point from Point Pedro (Sri Lanka) and Point Calimere (India). The British Government of India did not ratify this Agreement however. After India and Sri Lanka gained Independen­ce, the issue arose again in the 1960s. Prime Ministers Dudley Senanayake and Indira Gandhi held the first summit level talks on Kachchativ­u in 1968 in New Delhi and also in London after a CHOGM summit. The Prime Minister of Ceylon refused to compromise on the subject and suggested internatio­nal arbitratio­n, but the Indian Prime Minister did not want third party adjudicati­on on the issue. When Sirima Bandaranai­ke came into office in 1970, she made resolving the issue of Kachchativ­u and demarcatin­g the maritime boundary of Sri Lanka an integral element in the gamut of Indo-Lanka relations in addition to her Indian Ocean Peace Zone proposal at the UN. The Attorney General of India gave an opinion to the Prime Minister of India, that “on bal- the engines go dead, we are delighted that we had arrived at our destinatio­n. At least some two kilometres away, lies an island. We believed within moments the fast attack craft would slowly move to an alongside jetty. That was not to be. There was a chill ahead of the thrill we were going to enjoy. That it could be of life threatenin­g proportion­s never dawned on us.

Heading towards SLNS Thilina was a small flat bottom fibreglass boat. There were two men wearing olive green overalls. One directs the outboard motor (OBM) whilst the other is at the fore. When it comes closer, we realise that the boat had seen better days. There was a little flooding on the tilted end of the floor where one was directing the OBM. At first, it comes alongside. Sailors on the Dvora drop ropes. Those on the boat were to hold until one after another of the Sunday Times team roped down. The idea of that “extraction” is abandoned after a quick discussion. They fear we would end up with bruises or even fall into the ance, the sovereignt­y of Kachchativ­u was and is with Sri Lanka”. Describing his counterpar­ts from Sri Lanka, Thomas Abraham, a former Indian High Commission­er in Colombo, wrote in a foreword to a book on Kachchativ­u by an Indian professor; “Skillful and tenacious, they could unerringly spot the weakness in an argument or fact, the loss of nerve or the lack of interest on the other side. It would be hard to beat them in their grasp of intricacie­s of problems and the clear goals they had”. The Sri Lankan negotiator­s included G.V. P. Samarasing­he, Siri Perera QC (from 1968-70) and C.W. Pinto, Legal Advisor to the Ministry of External Affairs, W.T. Jayasinghe, Vernon Mendis, Ben Fonseka, Justin Siriwarden­e, Bernard Tillekerat­ne, Dr. H.A de S. Gunasekera and officials from the Survey Dept., S.T. Herath and R.D.F.A. Fonseka. After protracted negotiatio­ns at diplomatic, technical and political levels an agreement was sea between FAC and the boat.

They agree on a second “extraction.” The boat is brought near the aft of the Dvora. From the floor, the three tier railing is three and half feet high. One has to climb to the top, climb down to the opposite side and perch their legs on the little outer area of the floor. This is whilst holding tightly to the railing. Thereafter, one holds the hand of the navy man in olive green overall, we jump slowly, four feet below to the flat bottom boat. A slip or a slight shift in direction would have been a dive into the blue sea, some 14 metres deep. Even the presence of expert sailors including divers in the Weather Deck, some holding your arm, is not comforting enough. Fear lurks in your mind that you may plunge and that may be the last chapter of your voyage.

The “Operation Climb Down,” which bares fright in the faces, was smooth if not for one near disaster. One in the group was twice the weight of all others. When he descends, he wants to be more comfortabl­e. So, he tries to reached to ‘concede’ (as opposed to ‘cede’) Kachchativ­u to Sri Lanka. Ms. Bandaranai­ke signed the agreement on June 26, 1974 and Ms, Gandhi signed the same copy on the 28th of that month. India’s External Affairs Minister Y.B. Chavan told the Indian Parliament, “Fishing vessels and fishermen of one country shall not engage in fishing in the waters of the other”. Article 5 of the Agreement said; “Indian fishermen and pilgrims will enjoy access to Kachchativ­u as hitherto (for the St. Anthony’s church pilgrimage and to dry nets), and will not be required by Sri Lanka to obtain travel documents or visas” -clearly meaning that the island belonged to Sri Lanka. Tamil Nadu politician­s in India have begun a fresh campaign to what they call “retrieve” ownership of the island of Kachchativ­u. The state Government’s official records say it is “the topmost agenda of the Tamil Nadu Government”. Its report says the island was ceded ‘unilateral­ly’ by the Government of India. A resolution was passed in the Tamil Nadu Legislativ­e Assembly in 2011 and the Chief Minister J. Jayalalith­aa filed a writ petition W.P. (Civil) No. 561/2008 in the Supreme Court of India in 2008 for the “retrieval” of the island. The Government of India in an affidavit filed in the Indian Supreme Court states, “No territory belonging to India was ceded nor sovereignt­y relinquish­ed since the area in question was in dispute and had never been demarcated. Therefore, the contention (of Ms. Jayalalith­aa) that Kachchativ­u was ceded to Sri Lanka was not correct and contrary to official records”. (Sources; W.T. Jayasinghe “Katchchati­vu and the Maritime Boundary of Sri Lanka/Sam Rajappa, article in The Statesman, Kolkata/Fisheries Department Policy Note 2013-2014, Government of Tamil Nadu/Official Records, Supreme Court of India). cross from one end of the boat to the other. The boat begins to tilt heavily. Fright grips all others. The one who handled the OBM in olive green overall moves in rapidly to use his arm to divide those on board and evenly distribute weight. It is only later we learn the two men in olive green overalls are members of the Navy’s elite Special Boat Squadron (SBS). They are the commando equivalent of the Navy and are well trained.

The boat first moves towards a buoy to avoid coral growth and then banks ashore. We jump out one after another on the glistening sand. That is how we set foot on the Island of Kachchativ­u, the northernmo­st corner of Sri Lanka. A few steps away, we are first greeted by a white tower. At night, fishermen used to land to light oil lamps or candles. It has served as a sentinel for fishermen at night. Next to it lies a shallow well. A few steps away, near a solitary Palmyrah tree is the historic Church of St Anthony, the patron saint and protector of fishermen. In front is a concrete cross whilst a statue of St Anthony built in 2010 by a devotee stands between the church and the sea.

Inside the church, the clock on the wall has stopped presumably due to a dead battery. An unlit oil lamp hangs from a beam across the wall. Two statues of St Anthony stand serenely next to one of

Sailors on the Dvora drop ropes. Those on the boat were to hold until one after another of the Sunday Times team roped down. The idea of that “extraction” is abandoned after a quick discussion. They fear we would end up with bruises or even fall into the sea between FAC and the boat.

Lord Jesus Christ on wooden ledge. Two artificial flower pots lay on each side. The ledge is placed on a long cupboard built with cement with three plaques in front. Traces of salt have formed on part of the floor. Outside, a vast area is open. There is a cemented floor which bears the line “FOR VIPS ONLY”It is only once a year, in February, when the festival at the church takes place that this island becomes alive. Fishermen, both from Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, land in boats to transform the religious event to a trade fair of sorts. Sri Lankan devotees carry coconut oil, cardamom, cinnamon and other spices. From Tamil Nadu comes more sought after items like Sarees and Sarongs (lungis) and a variety of other items. The VIPs where temporary tents are

 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Sri Lanka