Malathi

Malathy
Born	4 January 1967
Died	10 October 1987 (aged 20) Kopay, Jaffna
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Occupation	Tamil Militant

Malathi also credited as Malathy is the first women fighter of the Tamil Tigers to die in combat hence revered as the first woman martyr and her death anniversary is commemorated as Women's Awakening day. Her death is significant as later women joined the Tamil Tigers at all levels at played a significant role including the Black Tigers.Malathi was injured in combat bleeding profusely and rendered immobile when a LTTE women unit is confronted by the IPKF near Navatkuli-Kopay Road in Kopay near Jaffna on 10 October 1987 clearly outnumbered by the IPKF soldiers and with superior firepower.Malathi realizing the grave situation wanted the other girls to leave her and go and takes her cyanide capsule to avoid being captured.Tamil Tigers called one of there brigades Malathi Brigade in her honour and built a memorial for her in Kilinochchi which was opened on October 10, 2004.

^{[1] [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] [10][11][12][13][14]}

References

1. Dr Annelou Ypeij; Ms Reinhilde König; Professor Georg Frerks (28 October 2014). Gender and Conflict: Embodiments, Discourses and Symbolic Practices. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 123–. ISBN 978-1-4724-0461-9. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
2. Thanh-Đạm Trương; Saskia Wieringa; Amrita Chhachhi (2006). Engendering human security: feminist perspectives. Zed Books. ISBN 978-1-84277-778-7.
3. "LTTE commemorates first woman martyr". Tamilnet. 10 October 2003. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
4. Jimmie Briggs (1 April 2009). Innocents Lost: When Child Soldiers Go to War. Basic Books. pp. 66–. ISBN 978-0-7867-3850-2. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
5. "Women's Awakening Day celebrated in NE". Tamilnet. 11 October 2003. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
6. "LTTE hails Malathy and gender equality". Daily Mirror. 11 October 2003. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
7. "முதல் பெண் மாவீரரான 2ஆம் லெப். மாலதியின் வீர வணக்க நாள் இன்றாகும்.". irruppu.com. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
8. "MaaVeerar - மாவீரர் அணையாத தீபங்கள் Malathi - First Woman Martyr". Tamil Nation. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
9. "Jaffna observes Malathi death anniversary". Tamilnet. 10 October 2004. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
10. "Remembering Maalathy". Tamil Guardian. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
11. Dr Paige Whaley Eager (28 March 2013). From Freedom Fighters to Terrorists: Women and Political Violence. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. pp. 141–. ISBN 978-1-4094-9857-5. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
12. "Malathy Memorial opened in Kilinochchi". Tamilnet. 10 October 2004. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
13. "Denmark Tamil schools compete in Malathy Cup football tournament". Tamil Guardian. 21 February 2015. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
14. "Tamil Tiger rebels honor their female fighters in Sri Lanka". AP Worldstream  – via HighBeam (subscription required) . October 12, 2002. Retrieved 11 October 2015.