Women’s gathering emphasizes Tamil women’s potential

[TamilNet, Friday, 05 September 2003, 17:35 GMT]
At the women’s gathering held Thursday at the Vavuniya Town Hall, the leaders and members of the women’s wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from all districts emphasized the importance of solving Tamil women’s problems together and attaining women’s liberation along with National liberation, and discussed the contributions Tamil women have made to the struggle of the Tamil people for self-determination, sources said.

Ms. Alai

Ms. Alai, the head of the political division of the LTTE in Vavuniya, presided over the event. The problems of the women in the Vavuniya district were discussed, the reasons behind them were analyzed and the need to find solutions together was stressed.

Ms. Thamilini hoisting the Tamil Eelam national flag.

The head of the LTTE Martyr’s office, Mr. Pon Thiyagam, lit the flame of sacrifice.The father of the first woman LTTE fighter, Capt. Malathy, garlanded her framed picture and also lit the flame of sacrifice. Ms. Saro Acca, the head of the Vavuniya district consortium of women's associations, gave the welcome speech.

Teen marriage, inappropriate sexual behavior among pre-teens, out of wedlock pregnancies, separated women, young widows, women without parents who undergo mistreatment from relatives, women facing attacks from youths, are all problems confronting women today, Ms. Alai said.

She said that women should help eradicate superstitions in society and everyone should recognize that women are an important part of the society and have an important role to play.

Mr. Pon Thiyagam, the head of the LTTE's Martyr's office, lighting the flame of sacrifice.

Ms. Thamilini, the head of the women’s political wing of the Liberation Tigers, hoisted the Tamil Eelam national flag and gave the guest speech at the event. She said that women’s liberation should occur along with National Liberation. “That is our goal. Women are a motive force of the society, and they cannot be separated from the society. Women should have self-confidence.”

“Western women have advanced economically. However, they still lack equal social status. Every woman should progress with self-confidence. We should prepare ourselves for it. Culture, tradition, astrology, and superstitions all impose restrictions on women. Women should be prepared to break free from such restrictions in order to develop their minds. The time has come for women to do that and women should be ready to use the opportunity to liberate themselves. We are the ones who have to struggle for our rights and every woman should gain the strength for such a struggle,” Ms. Thamilini said.

A section of the girls present at the women's event

Jaffna district women’s political wing head, speaking at the event, said, “Women cannot gain time management skills through education. It is something that exists naturally in everyone. In ancient times, woman took care of the family and was in charge of making decisions. Women who raise families should also help in the huge task of nation building.

“If we plan our time carefully and use our inborn management skills, we can help the community and our homeland.”

Dr. Elumathy Karikalan, a medical doctor, spoke on the topic of ‘women and health.’

The Trincomalee district women’s political wing leader, Ms. Karunya, spoke on the growth of women fighters. She said the fighting cadres of the LTTE’s women’s wing have developed their skills and grown to be equal to men, and a similar situation should happen generally in society so that women can grow up to be equal to men in all spheres. She concluded by saying women should be very clear about liberation.

Ms. Nilavarasi

The Mannar district women’s political wing leader, Ms. Nilavarasy, said that women should bring out their potential fully and be self-confident, and that the LTTE leader has prepared the LTTE women cadres to be fully confident women, and has nurtured them in fields where they show the keenest interest.

"In the battlefield, women are taking on the same responsibilities as men. The women have the skills to make their own decisions and many women have joined the black tiger and the sea tiger divisions. In the society at large, women should grow and develop their skills in all fields and be self-confident and mature women, " she concluded.

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