KATCHATHEEVU IS OURS – CONCRETE EVDIENCES
Even during the reign of ancient Tamil Sangam Kings, reign of King Sethupathy of Ramanathapuram, reign of East India Company, during the time of direct British rule and even after independence, Katchatheevu island remained with Tamilnadu. There are many more plentiful evidence and data to establish that Katchatheevu Island and the surround fish rich Sea belong to Tamilnadu.
1. During A.D. 1605, the clan of Ramanathapuram Sethupathy King was established by the Madurai Nayaks, incorporating 69 coastal villages and 7 Islands, of which Katchatheevu Island is one of the Island.
2. A copper plate plaque issued by King Koothan Sethupathy who ruled Ramanathapuram during the years 1622- 1635, depicts that the Sea upto Talaimannar belonged to Sethupathy Kings.
3. Coronation flowers which adorn the Goddess, Malai Valar Kathali Ammai of Rameswaram are grown in Katchatheevu Island. Similarly, cattle’s that are donated to the Temple are cared for in Katchatheevu Island and the Milk and other items needed for pooja are brought only from Katchatheevu island.
4. In the Kingdom of Ramanathapuram, there existed a separate account section to maintain and audit the accounts of Kathatheevu Island.
5. In the plaque issued to Jamindarine Mangaleswari Natchiyar, who took over after the period of Ramanathapuram King Muthuramalinga Sethupathy (who was imprisoned for a long period for having opposed the British), it is clearly mentioned that Katchatheevu Island belonged to Ramanathapuram Zamin.
6. There is a clear document evidencing leasing out Katchatheevu Island to East India Company by Ramanathapuram Sethupathy in the year 1822.
7. In Queen Victoria’s 1858 Proclamation whereby the powers got transferred to British Rule from East India Company, reference is made that Katchatheevu Island belong to Ramanathapuram Zamin.
8. P.P.Peris, who during the years of British Rule in 1936- 40, served as an Assistant Draftsman and later became a Ministerial Secretary after Sri Lanka attained independence, on 08.05.1966, made the following statement, confirming that Katchatheevu Island belonged to Ramanathapuram Kings. He says, “During the years 1936-40, when I served as Assistant Draftsman in the Land Survey Department, I was directed to survey the district boundaries of Ceylon. Therefore, I perused all records, documents, historical evidences and the Queen Victoria’s proclamation, by which 1 found that Katchatheevu Island belonged to King Sethupathy, Therefore I drew the Northern District of Ceylon delineating Katchatheevu Island.” This statement issued by the Ministerial Secretary on 08.05.1966, was widely reported in the then Daily Mirror published from Sri Lanka and thereafter reported in Indian Express in India.
9. There is a Registered Document (Registration No. 510/1880, Book 1, Volume 16) evidencing the fact that on 23.06.1880, eight coastal villages and four Island, including the Katchatheevu Island, belong to the Ramanathapuram Sethupathy’s were given in lease by the District Collector, Madurai jointly to one Abdul Kadar Marakayar and Muthusamy Pillai.
10. By a document dt.04.02.1885 (Registration No. 134/1885), Muthusamy Pillai, has taken the Katchatheevu Island on an annual lease of Rs.15 per annum from the Estate Manager of Ramanathapuram Sethupathy for the purpose of procuring dye roots.
11. Under a pact entered into between the Dutch and Ramanathapuram Seethupathy during the year 1767, a clause was incorporated to permit ail those residing Ramanathapuram Zamin can always visit Katchtheevu Island.
12. Baskara Sethypathy of Ramanathapuram, has assigned a portion of Katchatheevu island to Poet Sundaram.
13. When Zamindari Abolition Act came into force, Katchatheevu Island is mentioned as 285 Acres of Government Poromboke land in Ramanathapuram Village.
14. In the Ramanathpuram Gazetteer, issued by S.A.Viswanathan, Assistant Revenue Officer, Madras (then Tamiinadu was called Madras) on 11.11.1958, in Register No.68, Katchatheevu Island is shown as comprised in Ramanathapuram Village.
15. On 01.07.1913, when few Islands were taken on a 15 year lease by the Government of Madras Presidency from Ramanathapuram Sethupathy, Katchatheevu Island is mentioned by the Secretary to Government, as a territory belonging to Ramanathapuram Zamin and situate on the North East of Ramanathapuram.
16. In the year 1947, one K.M.Mohammed Merasa Marakayar, took the Katchatheevu Island on lease from Ramanathapuram Sethupathy. In the documents which was then executed, Katchatheevu Island was shown as a territory situated between Talaimannar and Danuskodi and belonging to Ramanathapuram Suzerainty.
17. In the Land Document Register issued by the Government, firstly issued in the year 1957 and again reprinted and issued as an updated publication, in the year 1966, at page 107, Katchatheevu Island is mentioned as a uninhabited territory belonging to Danuskodi.
18. Between the years 1913 and 1928, many Islands including the Katchatheevu Island were taken on lease from Ramanathapuram Sethupathy Kings and were again sublet to fishermen.
19. On several occasion the Sethupathy Kings, have themselves directly leased out many islands including the Katchatheevu Island to fishermen. There are records to show that fishermen from Tondi and Nambuthazhai have taken such leases.
20. In all the Indian Land Survey Records issued between the years 1874 and 1956, Katchatheevu Island is depicted as an Indian Territory alone. The Indian Land Survey Department has mentioned Katchatheevu Island as, measuring 285 Acres and 20 cents comprised in Survey No.1250,
21. In all reports published in several medias, Katcha theevu Island is mentioned as belonging to Ramanathapuram Sethupathy. Thus it is very clear that Katchatheevu Island is a Tamil Soil, and it is a Tamil Land. Katchatheevu Island and the seas surrounding it belonged to Tamils through several generations. More particularly, it is the tamil fishermen community which enjoyed the land over the years. It is this ancestral Tamil home land which was ceded to Sri Lanka by Indira Gandhi in the year 1974. While gifting away the land, Indira Gandhi pointed out that Katchatheevu Island is being ceded not on the basis of records but for other political reasons. What ever be the reason for ceding the Katchatheevu Island, but it is ultimately our Tamil fisher womenfolk numbering above 500 who were widowed by the Sinhala Navy Goons, Retrieval of Katchatheevu Island, alone will put an end to the suffering of our fisher brethren.