A series of events took place across Europe to mark Tamil Eelam's Women's Day and the 35th death anniversary of 2nd Lt. Maalathy, the first female fighter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to lose her life in the Tamil armed struggle.
The day is an opportunity to honour women’s involvement in the fight for Tamil rights.
UK
Belgium
The event also paid tribute to Lt. Colonel Kumarappa and Lt Colonel Pulendran, who were captured by the Sri Lankan navy in 1987 alongside ten other cadres. Lt. Colonel Pulenthiran and Lt. Colonel Kumarappa swallowed cyanide after being arrested by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) and were in the process of being taken to Colombo for interrogation. The incident occurred within two months of the IPKF arriving on the island.
Germany
Flowers were laid for 2nd Lt. Maalathy and Lt Col Thileepan, a political wing leader of the LTTE, fasted to death in a protest appealing to the Indian government to honour pledges made to the Tamil people. He began his fast on 15th September 1987, surrounded by over 100,000 supporters, and died 11 days later, on the 26th September 1987.
Switzerland
Netherlands
