Katchatheevu Island: Location, History, and Controversy

Context

Recently, the Minister of External Affairs declared a statement regarding the rights of Indian fishermen on Katchatheevu Island.

Katchatheevu Island Location

• Location: Katchatheevu Island is an uninhabited speck in the Palk Strait, between India and Sri Lanka. 
• Geography: It lies northeast of Rameswaram in the Indian coast, lies in southwest of Jaffna, at the northern tip of Sri Lanka, and 24 km away from the inhabited Delft Island, belonging to Sri Lanka.

Katchatheevu Island Map

• St Anthony’s Church: The only structure on the island is an early 20th-century Catholic shrine – St Anthony’s church. 
• Annual Festival of Church: During an annual festival, Christian priests from both India and Sri Lanka conduct the service, with devotees from both India and Sri Lanka making the pilgrimage. 

Katchatheevu Island History

• Formation: Katchatheevu is relatively new on the geological timeline, having been formed by a volcanic eruption in the 14th century.
• Ruling Monarchy: It was ruled over by Sri Lanka’s Jaffna monarchy throughout the early Medieval ages.
• Control: The Ramnad zamindari, which was situated in Ramanathapuram, some 55 km northwest of Rameswaram, took control of the island  in the 17th century.
• Part of Madras Presidency: It became part of the Madras Presidency during the British Raj. 
• Katchatheevu Island Issue: In 1921, both India and Sri Lanka, at the time British colonies, claimed Katchatheevu in order to determine fishing boundaries.
• Ownership Dispute: A survey marked Katchatheevu in Sri Lanka, but a British delegation from India challenged this, citing ownership of the island by the Ramnad kingdom.
  • This dispute was not settled until 1974.

Agreement on Katchatheevu Island

• Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement of 1974

  • Settlement of Maritime Border: In 1974, the then Indian govt under Indira Gandhi made attempts to settle the maritime border between India and Sri Lanka, once and for all.
  • Ceding of Island to Sri Lanka: As a part of this settlement, known as the ‘Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement’, Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka.

• 1974 Agreement and fishing Rights of Indian fishermen

  • Granting access to Indian Fishermen: As per the agreement, Indian fishermen were still allowed to access Katchatheevu.
  • Unfortunately, the issue of fishing rights was not ironed out by the agreement.
  • Limited Fishing Rights: Sri Lanka interpreted Indian fishermens’ right to access Katchatheevu to be limited to rest, drying nets and for visit to the Catholic shrine without visa.

• 1976 Agreement

• • Restrictions Imposed: Another agreement in 1976, during the period of Emergency in India, barred either country from fishing in the other’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
  • Uncertainty over Fishing rights: Again, Katchatheevu lay right at the edge of the EEZs of either country, retaining a degree of uncertainty with regards to fishing rights.

How did the Sri Lankan Civil War Impact Katchatheevu Island?

During a Period Between 1983 and 2009

• Sri Lankan Civil War: Between 1983 and 2009, the border dispute remained on the back burner as a bloody civil war raged in Sri Lanka.
• Entering of Indian Fishermen in Sri Lanka: As Sri Lankan naval forces focused on blocking LTTE supply lines from Jaffna, Indian fishermen often entered Sri Lankan waters.
• Entry of Big Trawlers: Larger Indian trawlers were particularly disliked for overfishing and damaging local fishing gear and boats.

• After 2009

• • Beefing up of Maritime forces: Colombo beefed up its maritime defences, and turned focus to Indian fishermen.
  • Consequences: Facing a depletion of marine resources on the Indian side, they would frequently enter Sri Lankan waters as they had been doing for years, but finally began facing consequences.
  • Arrest of Indian Fishermen: Till date, the Sri Lankan navy routinely arrests Indian fishermen and there have been many allegations of custodial torture and death.
  • The demand for Katchatheevu is revived each time such an incident happens.

What is Tamil Nadu’s Position on Katchatheevu Island?

• Without Consultation: Katchatheevu was “given away” to Sri Lanka without consulting the Tamil Nadu state assembly. 
• Restoration of Fishing Rights after 1991: In 1991, in the aftermath of India’s disastrous intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War, the Tamil Nadu Assembly again sought retrieval of Katchatheevu and restoration of fishing rights of Tamil fishermen
• 2008 Petition: In 2008, then AIADMK supremo, the late J Jayalalitha, filed a petition in court saying Katchatheevu could not be ceded to another country without a constitutional amendment. The petition argued the 1974 agreement had affected traditional fishing rights and livelihoods of Indian fishermen.
• Impact of Transfer of Island: The transfer of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka, by the Union government, without the state government’s consent, has deprived Tamil Nadu fishermen’s rights and adversely impacted their livelihoods.

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