Campbell Bay, 18 Dec 2020
Sri Lankan Tamil Settlers of Katchal Island have been protesting for their resettlement to South Andaman for one month now. Along with the protests some members of the Sri Lankan Tamil Settler Community are also on relay hunger strike since the last 26 days. They have not yet received any assurance for their resettlement.
The Deputy Commissioner of Nicobar District visited the protesting Sri Lankan Settlers in Katchal Island on 14th of December 2020 and interacted with them. The Deputy Commissioner also visited their village and saw the condition of the houses that these settlers are living in. The Deputy Commissioner according to the Katchal Settlers assured them to take up the issue with the higher authorities. The Settlers of Katchal Island also informed Nicobar Times that the Deputy Commissioner informed them that the issue of resettlement is pending with the higher authorities of Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
The Settlers of Katchal Island requested the Deputy Commissioner that if their demand for resettlement is anticipated to take long time, then their area may be de-notified from the ANPAT Regulation so that they can live peacefully in their original settlement area.
Shri. Ajoy Bairagi, State President, Bharatiya Janata Party also presented a strong case before the visiting Hon’ble Minister of State for Home Affairs who was on an Official visit to Andaman and Nicobar Islands and had visited Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Bhavan (BJP Bhavan), Port Blair to interact with the workers of Bharatiya Janata Party, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
These settlers have decided to continue their protests until and unless final decision regarding their resettlement is finalised.
Tribal Council of Katchal Island and the Tribal Development Council had also earlier written to the Administration to resettle these Sri Lankan Tamil Settlers in a non-tribal area from Katchal island. Even after being settled by the Govt. of India these settlers have no legal right over the land and cannot even start a business for sustaining their livelihood.
Two members from each family were provided with jobs in the Rubber Plantation at Katchal but the plantation was later handed over to the Andaman and Nicobar Forest and Plantation Development Corporation Limited which closed down in 2017 after the Union Cabinet Approval.
Originally there were about 49 families who were settled in the Island but as time passed the number of families increased and currently there are about 242 families and about a 1000 individuals in the Sri Lankan Settler Community.
Earlier on 11th of December Mr. Saran one of the teenage member of the Settler Community had fallen down while he was on Relay Hunger Strike and immediately the other protesting members had called for an Ambulance, Mr. Saran reportedly refused treatment on arrival of the Ambulance, to show his resent towards the officials of the Administration.
Katchal is a remote Island in the Nicobar District and these Sri Lankan Tamil Settlers are protesting there since a month, now some members of a political party feel that the Administration is not giving much attention to these protesting settlers because of the remoteness of the area. These political leaders are of the view that some of these protesting settlers should visit Port Blair and continue their protests at Tiranga Park in Port Blair, where they will get much more attention and they will also be in better position to negotiate for their demands with the Administration.
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