Dissanayake makes surprise Katchatheevu visit, vows to protect Sri Lankan territory , Pg14

Key Highlights:

• Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited Katchatheevu after vowing to protect Sri Lankan territory.
• The visit followed the launch of the Myliddy Fisheries Harbour expansion project in Jaffna.
• Katchatheevu is an uninhabited island located 14.5 km south of Delft Island off Jaffna Peninsula.

Detailed Insights:

• The fishing dispute affects Tamil-speaking fishermen on both sides of the Palk Strait.
• Sri Lankan fishermen have been urging their Indian counterparts to refrain from bottom trawling.
• In April, Tamil parties requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ban bottom trawling to resolve the conflict.
• The Governments of India and Sri Lanka signed agreements in 1974 and 1976 regarding Katchatheevu.
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin stated that retrieving Katchatheevu was the only permanent solution to Tamil Nadu fishermen’s issues.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Katchatheevu: An uninhabited island in the Palk Strait, subject to historical and ongoing territorial disputes.
• Bottom Trawling: A destructive fishing practice that involves dragging a net along the sea floor.
• Palk Strait: A narrow strip of water separating the state of Tamil Nadu in India and Sri Lanka.