By Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne
Kachchatheevu Island is located in Palk Bay, one and a half nautical miles from the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) on our side of IMBL.
It’s well within our side, and this boundary line was ratified in 1976 in a Trilateral Maritime Agreement signed by India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, which indicates territorial waters, Contiguous Zones and Exclusive Economic Zones of the three countries and agreed/ ratified by the United Nations.
So as far as Kachchatheevu Island is concerned, it’s Sri Lankan territory- well within our territorial waters.
Then why has Kachchatheevu Island, 183 acres of land surrounded by beautiful corals and very rich fishing grounds, become a contentious issue between India (especially with Tamil Nadu politics) and Sri Lanka?
Tamil Nadu politicians are always eyeing Kachchatheevu, saying it was “gifted” to Sri Lanka by Shrimathi Indira Gandhi in 1976! However, I have to emphasise to readers that KACHCHATHEEVU WAS NEVER A PART OF INDIA.
The only claim they can indicate was that during the time of the British Empire in the mid-1800s (time of Queen Victoria- reign 1837-1901), Kachchatheevu was given on lease to Raja Ramand (Maharaja of Ramnathpuram) to do “chunk fishing” around the island.
Please read the book “Kachchatheevu” by the late W. T. Jayasinghe, the Defence and External Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary from 1972 to 1977, when Sirimavo Bandaranaike was our Prime Minister.
He was the father of the late Chrishantha Romesh Jayasinghe, who was our Foreign Secretary and then High Commissioner to New Delhi from October 2009 until his passing in August 2011.
This book amply explains how our team led by N. Q. Dias ( Permanent Secretary of Defence and External Affairs- 1960 to 65 and Our High Commissioner in New Delhi 1970 to 72) greatly supported by W. T. Jayasinghe, Hamilton Shirley Amarasinghe (Sri Lanka High Commissioner to New Delhi 1963 to 1966 and UN Diplomat later – President of UN General Assembly 1976 and leader of negotiations in drafting UN Convention Law of the Sea ), Moragodage Christoper Walter Pinto (first Legal Advisor of our Foreign Ministry – who was sent to Europe to gather all historical details of our ownership of Kachchatheevu from Portuguese, Dutch and British Maritime Archives/Museum and produced an excellent dossier for our team – honoured with DESHAMANYA title by President Maithripala Sirisena in 2019 and father of Milinda Moragoda- who was our High Commissioner few years ago in New Delhi). The delegation was further strengthened by Justin Siriwardena, who was then serving as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner.
Thomas Abraham former Indian High Commissioner to Colombo (1978-1972), in his foreword to the book “Kachchatheevu” by Professor V. Suyreyanarayan said “Sri Lankan delegation led by N. Q. Dias and W. T. Jayasinghe was no match to the Indian delegation- they were far superior to the Indian delegation, sharp, knowledgeable and to the point in their deliberations”.
This is how SRILANKAN DIPLOMATS AT THAT TIME! No wonder our forefathers of our Foreign Service achieved greater heights, well supported by the political leadership of Sirimavo Bandaranaike, with her charming smile and great friendship with then Indian Prime Minister Shrimathi Indira Gandhi secured our maritime boundary and Kachchatheevu Island.
As our former Foreign Minister Ali Sabri, PC said a few years ago, “Kachchatheevu is ours – clear as a whistle! – matter resolved more than 50 years ago!”
But….
Former Attorney General of the Indian Republic, Mukul Rohargi, told the Supreme Court of India, a five-member bench presided by then Chief Justice of India R. M. Lodha on 26th August 2014, “Kachchatheevu gone to Sri Lanka by an agreement in 1974! Now it’s on the Sri Lankan side of India- Sri Lanka IMBL! How can we take it back today? If we want Kachchateevu, we have to go to War with Sri Lanka and take over it”
Please understand Kachchatheevu Island issue is a closed case! I hope today’s political leaders understand this matter.
Sri Lanka Navy built a beautiful St Anthony’s Church in Kachchatheevu Island, next to the old church on request by the Catholic Bishop of Jaffna, Rt. Rev. Dr. Bernard Justin Ganapragasam in 2016. I was the Navy Commander then, and my Commander Northern Naval Area was Rear Admiral Piyal De Silva (later rose to Navy Commander and was Sri Lanka Ambassador in Afghanistan). Sri Lanka Navy Civil Engineering Staff built a beautiful Church (Church design by Captain (then) Rohan Joseph- a devoted Catholic and who was my Naval Assistant when I was Commander- who is a Rear Admiral and Flag Officer Commanding the Naval Fleet now) by spending 7.1 million rupees. All the contributions for this new church building were made by SLN officers and sailors (mostly Sinhala Buddhists). Saint Anthony is a Saint who protects Fishermen and seafarers like us from danger out at sea. May Saint Anthony bless and protect our Navy!
So, these 183 acres (it’s NOT A SMALL ROCK! It’s a big Island), Kachchatheevu Island, is OURS! Our forefathers secured it for us! Now we should protect it!
I invite you to visit Kachchatheevu Island during the next Saint Anthony’s feast, where thousands of Sri Lankan and Indian devotees visit this island.
The Navy Civil Engineer (Lieutenant Commander M. Silva), a brilliant officer who graduated from Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), spent four months in trying conditions with his team to build the new Church, sadly passed away a year ago due to sudden illness. I am failing in my duty if I do not mention this brilliant Civil Engineer. We will remember him. May he rest in Peace.
The writer Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne is WV, RWP and Bar, RSP, VSV, USP, NI (M) (Pakistan), ndc, psn, Bsc (Hons) (War Studies) (Karachi) MPhil (Madras). Former Navy Commander and Former Chief of Defence Staff, Former Chairman, Trincomalee Petroleum Terminals Ltd, Former Managing Director Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, Former Sri Lanka High Commissioner to Islamabad (2024) and First Secretary/ Defence Advisor to Sri Lanka High Commission, New Delhi (2001-2005)