The Crucial Resources of Sri Lanka including its people

March 9, 2012, 7:14 pm 


By A. Denis N. Fernando

Fellow NASSL and Founder Member CIMOGG

This presentation deals with the crucial resources of Water Resources in our Land, the Natural Resources in the sea around us within our territorial waters as determined by the U.N. Law of the Sea and the People of Sri Lanka and is indicated in three sections namely Water Resources, Natural Resources in the Sea and its People.

Section Two: The Natural Resources in the Sea

Further today we are heirs to the U.N. Law of the Sea that provides Territorial Rights to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which I have designated as LANKA SAMUDRA as it belongs to us in the ocean and is in extent nearly seven and a half times our Land area. We could also claim as well as the Continental Shelf beyond the EEZ under certain conditions which if it has sediments deeper than one kilometer in depth according to the Law of the Sea. I have indicated this area which is about fifteen times our land area if we exclude the areas- falling outside the Median line between our neighbouring countries. These are indicated in the accompanied coloured MAP. Further I have also included the coloured Satellite MAP of Gravitational Pull around the four continents surrounding us, with due courtesy of the New Map produced by the European Satellite that reveals the gravity around the world.

Dr. Ronnie S. Mather formerly Assistant Superintendent of Surveys of the Survey Dept of Sri Lanka subsequently using the Satellite of MARISAT discovered the "Sri Lanka Low Gravity" in the ocean around Sri Lanka, which portends fossil fuels which was further proved as indicating in the World Map on Gravity as the Lowest Gravity on Earth. This was clearly the reason for developed countries to engage in further research pertaining to this and have to this "Black Gold" and even attempted to destabilize our country using the traditional colonial methods of Dividing and Rule and the reasons for which we have experienced destabilization in the last three decades.

Today we have illegal poaching in our living resources in the Palk Straits by South Indians. They fish within our territorial waters for crabs, prawns and other fish crossing the international boundary. It is imperative that we demarcate this International Maritime Boundary with anchored floating bouys with rotating mirrors that clearly demarcate the boundary at suitable intervals so that all could see it clearly. Those who cross this International Maritime Boundary could be prosecuted accordingly and be given deterrent punishment, like confiscation of boats and trawlers with their catch as well as taking legal action against poachers into our territorial waters.

For this purpose of safeguarding the larger portion of our EEZ would be more difficult as we have to guard against poaching not only by the Indians but also the Japanese and other foreigners. This illegal poaching would deprive us of our large source of income from Skipjack, Tuna sword fish, Sharks that have a very high demand not only in the local market but also in the foreign market as well. As this area is so large this could be only done by having a large Naval Force supported by a Voluntary Naval Force of registered boats that have been cleared by the Navy before their engagement for such services. They could like the Customs Officers be provided by financial benefits for detections and after successful prosecution.

Then we have under the U.N. Law of the Sea provision to claim the Continental shelf without further delay as we could exploit the non living resource of Fossil Fuel that is available there as it is within the Lowest Gravity in the World and has the high potential of Fossil Fuels apart from minerals.

It is clear that the Independent States within the four continents of Asia, Antarctica, Africa and Australia which comprise of more that 40 having their independent Exclusive Economic Zones. They would have to form themselves as a Consortium for ensuring the safety of their EEZ’s and prevent outsiders who would have their agendas for our own safety. It would therefore be imperative to exclude foreign countries in this Consortium as they could have their own interests in this trade route which was traditionally in their hands from the time of its been used as the Spice Route., which could to destablising these countries in matters of trade to the said countries.

Since the use of the term "Indian ocean" is anomalous today in the Context of the U.N. Law of the sea and as India has its own EEZ that belongs to it, would be necessary now to designate this ocean more appropriately as ASIATIC OCEAN to prevent any misunderstanding .(This map iappears on this page titled The Indian Sea in the Asiatic Ocean)