Devotees see new practices at Katchatheevu fest as attempt to wipe out Tamils’ identity

The two-day festival commenced on Friday with a flag hoisting ceremony and it was for the first time that the flag had a picture of St Antony. Following that, two prayer sessions were held during the night and thousands participated. In a first, more than 2,000 sinhalese were present during the festivities. 

Breaking away from tradition, St Antony’s statue was carried around the church in the night by personnel attached with the Sri Lankan navy, contrary to Tamil people from TN and northern provinces of Sri Lanka carrying the statue in previous years.  This has apparently irked a lot of people. Fishermen from Rameswaram said that they were hurt by the action of the navy. A fisherman on condition of anonymity said that earlier, carrying the statue was their right, but this year, that right was forfeited. 

No devotee was allowed to go near the procession and the entire ceremony was controlled by the navy personnel. “The duty of the personnel is to protect devotees and not interfere in their worshiping rights,” another fisherman said. On day two, when prayers commenced, initially Bishop of Jaffna, Justin Gnanaprakasam, presided over the ceremony in Tamil but after 30 minutes, Bishop of Galle, Raymond Wickramasinghe, commenced with prayers in Sinhalese. 

Two prayer sessions were conducted in Sinhalese and this again had upset many people present there. “The SL government is trying to wipe off Tamil identity from Katchatheevu and wants complete possession of the island,” one of the participants said, adding, people from TN might be banned from attending the Katchatheevu festival.