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The life and death of Annai Poopathy was commemorated at Jaffna University on 12th April. The event marked the 35th anniversary of her hunger strike to death. Annai Poopathy, who was an active member of Batticaloa - Amparai Mother’s front, began a hunger strike demanding an immediate ceasefire to the violence by the Indian Peace Keeping Force and negotiations to take place with the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam. The commemoration was organized by the Jaffna Univeristy Students' Union.
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"Annai Poopathy has made an indelible mark in the golden history of our struggle," the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Velupillai Prabhakaran said in 2004. "She sacrificed her life for the freedom struggle of her people, renouncing her life as a mother, as head of a household and as a woman. Her moral war against the Indian army was an embarrasment to India. She did not die as a human being. Her sacrifice symbolized the uprising of Tamil Eelam motherhood."
Her fast ended on April 19 1988 with her death.
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