Navy denies plan to build any other shrine on Kachchativu

The Navy yesterday denied that it was planning to build any other shrine or religious monument on the Kachchativu Island.

In a statement titled ‘Regarding Buddha’s Statue in Kachchativu’, the Navy said: Kachchativu is an uninhabited island located about 50 nautical miles off the mainland. The Sri Lanka Navy has established a Naval Detachment in Kachchativu to deal with security around the area. Apart from security duties, naval personnel also take care of the St. Anthony’s Church which was built under the patronage of the Buddhist Association of Sri Lanka Navy. Aside from the annual church festival of Kachchativu, on every other day of the year, naval personnel clean the church premises and perform all rituals associated with the church with great devotion.

As most of the naval personnel attached to the Naval Detachment on the Kachchativu Island are Buddhist, they pay homage to a modest little Buddha’s Statue which is in close proximity to their mess.

The naval personnel performing duties in Kachchativu are also accommodated in a temporarily-constructed mess as no other fixed structures, besides this church, are allowed on the island.

Other than the St. Anthony’s Church, there is no other religious shrine on the Kachchativu Island, and it is strongly emphasized that the Navy has no intention of building any other shrine or religious monument on the Kachchativu Island.