INDIAN OCEAN: No, Man, It's My Island

Three nations quarrel mightily over tiny Tromelin

Of all the islands that dot the Indian Ocean, few could be more obscure than Tromelin. Understandably so. It is a tear-shaped chunk of sand less than one mile long and 700 yards wide. Its flora consists of four coconut palms and some nondescript bushes that submerge whenever the sea turns rough. Nonetheless, Tromelin has become the focus of a heated political controversy. Three nations claim it: France, which currently controls it, Mauritius and Madagascar (formerly Malagasy). Their feud may have to be resolved by the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Tromelin scarcely seems worth the effort. For one thing, there are no permanent residents. Other Indian Ocean islands can boast of native Maldivians, Seychellois, Mauritians or Malagasy. The only permanent Tromelinians are sea turtles and terns and the larger frigate sea birds, whose droppings until 1956 were harvested as the island's principal resource, guano for fertilizer. A small, transient French colony operating meteorological instruments and a radio transmitter is stationed there to forecast weather conditions for larger islands as well as for commercial airliners passing overhead.

The French live a bleak life together in a buried bunker on the island. Even drinking water must be flown in, along with food and supplies. For sanity's sake the men are rotated frequently to larger French islands. But while they are on Tromelin, they undoubtedly dream about the island's one famous resident: an 18th century female Robinson Crusoe who was washed ashore as the lone survivor of a shipwreck. She subsisted on food that floated in from the wreck, until a passing schooner spotted the bright yellow dress she had hoisted as a distress flag.

France has claimed the island for 200 years (it is named for a chevalier who first set foot on Tromelin in 1776) and has maintained the weather service since 1953. Yet vigorous dissent to the French claim has been registered by Mauritius. 300 miles to the southeast. Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, 77, insists that Tromelin "is part and parcel of our territory, and always has been.'' In fact, Mauritius' claim -dates back only to 1959. nine years before the nation won independence from Britain. Last year, after learning that France intended to cultivate the Tromelin turtles for soup and tortoise shells, Sir Seewoosagur handed a note to his French ambassador reaffirming Mauritian sovereignty. Among other "proofs," the Prime Minister cited some unique documents that the World Court may be called on to examine: guano-gathering permits issued between 1901 and 1956 refer to the bird-bedecked island as a dependency of Mauritius.

A rival and more recent claim has been instituted by Madagascar, 260 miles to the west. Madagascar's President Didier Ratsiraka last month announced that his Marxist republic is the rightful owner not only of Tromelin but of three other small French islands: Europa, Juan de Nova and Glorieuses. It is said that Ratsiraka wants Tromelin in order to establish a Soviet base there. That seems unlikely: because of the coral reefs, large ships could never venture inshore, and Tromelin is so small that a large airplane would run out of island before it could brake to a stop.