National Patriots Day

Mother Poobathy's (Poobathy Amma) remembrance day's been announced as the 'National Patriots Day'. On the 19th of March 1988, Saturday morning at 10.45am Poobathy Amma determined to protest to the world the injustice of the war, resolved to carry on the hunger strike to achieve her political goals underneath the 'Kuruntha' tree in Amirthakali Sri Maamangeswarar temple in Batticaloa. She put forward two demands:

(1) An immediate unconditional ceasefire between the LTTE and the IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Forces).
(2)Unconditional talks between the LTTE and the Indian government.

Poobathy Amma as a member of the Mother's Front became a vociferous critique of the military operations and widespread violation of human rights by the Sri Lankan armed forces. Undeterred by the armed forces’ potential for killing and maiming, Poobathy Amma protested against the military atrocities of the Sri Lankan troops. She often went to the army camp to enquire about the disappearance of so many men and women.

Ultimately the Women's Front decided that it would use the weapon of 'fasting' to express its disapproval of the war against the people. Two Tamil women, Mrs Annammah David and Mrs Nesammah Vadivel commenced a fast unto death. The occupying Indian army severely embarrassed by the determination of Tamil women to demonstrate their dislike of the presence of the troops broke up the hunger strike. Into the history of great feats of courage and determination must go the struggle waged by a 56 year old mother of ten children and grandmother, Mrs Kanapathipillai Poobathy. Annai Poobathy, as this extraordinary woman has come to be affectionately known, went without food and fluids for thirty one days before her death on 19th April 1988.

Her patriotism, courage, determination and the way she expressed her disapproval of the war against the people through Ahimsa was bigger than Himalaya, and she appeared larger than a mothers' selfless love to the child. She seemed taller than the Everest. She was the first woman to fast unto death in the world for the freedom of her own people. She's an example of how Tamil patriots are.

When we look back at all the histories, the oppressors believed if they kill patriots they can stop the freedom struggle and the liberation movement. Looking at our Eelam struggle for freedom, we can see that Sinhalese Buddhist Chauvinist Government also believed in killing Tamil patriots and that’s what they have been doing for decades.

India introduced Gandian way/ Ahimsa way of fighting with the oppressors to the world, but even India failed to recognise our Gandian way of fighting against our struggle. The perfect examples are Mother Poobathy and Thileepan. India didn't just kill Mother Poobathy and Thileepan; they again killed Mahatma Gandi, they killed ahimsa, and they killed the trust and the respect that Tamils had on them.

India, which introduced Ahimsa as the weapon to fight oppression, even they acted like they didn’t know what 'Ahimsa' is, how can we expect the Sri Lankan Sinhalese Buddhist Chauvinist Government to recognise out struggle? They still believe Sri Lanka is only for Sinhala Buddhists.