Female Tigers

Our daughter joined after seeing the Army's torture of Tamil people. Especially after she saw the difficulties of the internally displaced people, she wanted to join. They were studying A level and O level when we were displaced. It was because of the Sri Lankan Army torture that we were displaced to Vanni. But even when we fled to Vanni, they dropped bombs on us here. Our kids saw this directly. With that they couldn't continue their education. They only felt they had to do something for the struggle. My last daughter was very affected by this, and so she joined the LTTE. Though I was very sad about this, I didn't go and search for her because I knew she left to serve the country….I cried only after she left, but for so long before my daughter left, in her heart she went through much difficulties and struggled to make this decision...

It was very difficult for me — after she left I cried daily and prayed in temple for her return. But all martyrs were children. It's not just my daughter in this struggle. Everyone's child is there. Martyrs were children. Once I thought like this, that all martyrs are like my child, I left it...

In earlier times, women wouldn't leave the house alone. They wouldn't go out after dark. But in the LTTE's time, all women can do everything independently. Not only the children, but everyone can go out and walk where they like, even at midnight they can leave the house freely... Now women can go to all places and can stand at the front...

We want a free country, that's why they are in the LTTE. Yes it is sad for me, but after 18,000 martyrs gave their lives to get our land, my kids want to work to make the martyrs' dream come true.

-Thavarani Selvarasa