When Kachchativu was a smugglers’ paradise

By A. Denis N. Fernando, Colombo 8

A recent Rupavahini news item indicated that it was the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who donated the Kachchativu Island to Sri Lanka. This is incorrect. It was, in fact, Sirimavo Bandaranaike who donated 154 square miles of our territorial waters west of Kachchativu, according to the UN Law of the Sea.

To get the record straight, the island of Kachchativu was a paradise for smugglers and illegal immigrants. In the 1960s, even the Bishop of Jaffna did not send a priest there for the church feast due to these nefarious activities.

The Task Force for Illicit Immigration (TAFII) was commissioned to deal with the problem of illegal immigration and smuggling from South India. Having dealt with this problem in Kachchativu, the task force wanted to tackle the problem of illegal immigration in the north-western coast from Mannar to Kalpitiya. They suggested that a road from Pomparippu to Marichchakade should be contructed and patrolled.

As I was in-charge of Road Tracing in the Survey Department using new air survey methods, I was commissioned to do so. Having prepared a tentative Road Trace using Air Survey methods, I was provided the Bubble helicopter under the command of Captain Situnayaka to verify this on the ground. During this survey I took the opportunity of visiting archaeological sites at Pomparippu and Kudiramalai and landing on the top of Kudiramalai I discovered an ancient lighthouse in ruins there.

Subsequent investigations indicated that these were the ruins of a 35-foot tall statue of a horse which probably gave this island its name Kudiramalai or Horse Mountain. This was a main landmark for seafarers in ancient times. This site in all probability had a Persian connection due to the presence of the horse.

In addition to these archaeological investigations, I provided the Road Trace from Pomparippu to Marichchakade, but warned the TAFII not to build this road as it would only aggravate the illegal immigration problem.

The jungle stretch was necessary because the presence of wild animals such as bears, leopards and elephants would keep the illegal immigrants out of this area. If a road was built, I argued that it would only help the smugglers and the illegal immigrants to escape. My point was taken.

One should read that wonderful book on Kachchativu and The Maritime Boundary of Sri Lanka by W.T. Jayasinghe, the erudite Secretary of the Ministry of Defence and External Affairs. The book contains all the relevant documents. This treatise should be in every Sri Lankan embassy and every ministry as a guide for those dealing with foreign negotiations. Those were the times when we had persons who were subject matter specialists to deal with important matters.