Thileepan Anna

A man who sacrificed his life for us. He is a symbol of peace and determination and what he has done for us will forever put on his path. born as Parthipan Rasaiah, lost his parents at a young age, brought up by his brothers. When he was a student at Jaffna University, he witnessed atrocities done to Tamils by the Sri Lankan government and decided to join the liberation struggle. 

From a militant to being promoted as LTTE's political leader for the Jaffna peninsula.  He was the primary driving force behind women's liberation and women being part of the organization.  

His words and actions became a reason  ‘சுதந்திரப் பறவைகள்’ organization was formed in Eezham - he is the founding father of women's empowerment within the liberation. 

In 1987, Sri Lankan & Indian governments signed Indo-Lanka accord - assuring the safety, well-being, and prosperity of Tamils.  When the Indian army arrived at the Tamil land, their actions were opposite of what was promised - there were there to end Tamil nationalism. In order to ensure well beings of Tamils, Thileepan anna put forward 5 demands to the Indian government:

1. The Tamil youths detained in prisons or in detention centers under the Prevention of Terrorism Act should be released forthwith.

2. All Sinhala colonization schemes taking place in Tamil homeland under the guise of rehabilitation should be stopped forthwith

3. Until an interim administrative council is established all rehabilitation works in the northeast should be stopped.

4. Police stations should not be opened in the northeast province.

5. Arms & ammunition supplied to home guards under the supervision of IPKF should be withdrawn immediately & army camps, and police stations established in Tamil villages, and schools should be closed down. 

In his determination to make the Indian government meet the demands, Thileepan anna began a hunger strike - on Sept 15, 1987, in front of Nallur Kandaswamy Temple. 

Fast lasted 12 days, he passed on Sept 26, 1987.  Refusing water & food, sacrificed his life for the Tamils' liberation. After his death, he asked his body to be handed over to the Dept of Medicine @ Univ of Jaffna, where he was accepted into studying medicine. 

As Mrs. Adele Balasingam stated "Thileepan’s fast had touched the spirit of the Tamil nation and mobilized the popular masses in unprecedented solidarity. 

One could sense how this extraordinary sacrifice of a fragile young man had suddenly assumed a formidable force as the collective strength of his people. Thileepan’s fast was a supreme act of transcendence of individuality for a collective cause. Literally, it was an act of self-crucifixion, a noble act by which this brave young man condemned himself to death so that others could live in freedom and dignity."

Choosing to fight non-violent way, he allowed his body to dissolve day by day but his determination never failed.  The world stood and watched him die, with his death died humanity. Its been 34 years since anna's death yet Tamil's livelihood still remains the same: lack of democracy & state oppression.  Though the world might know Mr. Gandhi as mahatma, to us,  anna is the only one who is of deserving that title.