First Woman Frontier Freedom Fighter Veeravengai Theivanai

First Woman Frontier Freedom Fighter

Veeravengai Theivanai

Sivarasa Theivanai

Died: 20.11.2000

That moment when the son and his father paid tribute to the mother was a new page in the history. She is extraordinary. Breaking boundaries and entering the field, setting records on land and sea. After realizing that it is not enough for liberation that her children are out and fight, she also gets her feed in the field.

As caregivers in medical conditions and a brave mother in dangerous and difficult times. Mothers of this land have achieved. However, this is the first time that a mother went directly to the battlefield while being involved in social life and died heroically during the battle for freedom and liberation.

When all the Tamils are victims of the ethnic cleansing of the Sinhalese government, which has planned war on our race, why is it the rule that only the younger people should fight in the field of struggle? The death never sees if it is a mother or son. Everyone must fight for the liberation. This is the main reason that made Theivanai came into the field.

By 1992, the desire to join the movement was high. But what if you are married and have a child? What is the future of her child if I leave? That’s a thousand struggles. However, when the mother went to the gates of the camp for freedom fighters to ask to join the movement, she was sent back home when they get to know she is married woman.

It was the period when the people started participating in the work for the liberation of the country, for the rural and frontier forces. It was a spring season for Theivanai sister. She was the first person to stand when the training centers were started. She trains thinking that the next day there will be a fight with the army. That excitement and speed makes one wonder where the time has gone.

The first upper hand belonged to Deivanai Akka when the name details were requested by the fighters to form a field-ready frontier force straight from the village training camp. Even when her name was registered first, Theivanai sister would be avoided. There will be a long argument and struggle with the fighter, who is in the charge of that area and Theivanai sister. In the end, her field trip would have been avoided with the words, “You can go next time, go home now, your son will be looking for you.”

Even when she was denied permission a couple of times, she was not ready to give up her efforts. She will come again and again. One day that effort paid off.

“Sister, we will send you this time. But not for the field. You will be posted to a medical post behind the battlefield, next time you can come to the field.” These words from the fighter who was in charge, were sweet words to Theivanai sister. The smile was all over her face.

Not one of the fighters knew that the temporary medical post will made Theivanai sisters´s fighting speed even more intense and made her desperate to go to the field.

People who regularly go to work in medical field finish work and return in five or seven days, but Theivanai sister was the only one who could not leave like that. She stayed at the hospital for a month, calling his son and looking after him intermittently.

When the freedom fighters from the battlefield came to the medical stage with multiple injuries, her words reveal her intense fight to go to the field and fight. “All these children must fight and suffer so much. How terrible is that we are the only ones at home safely?”

When she was on medical duty for a month, a medical fighter who was on duty said about Theivana sister: “We have never taught sister anything about the care of a wounded fighter. She makes up her own mind, did everything herself. If a vehicle carrying injured people enters the door, she goes there with a baton before the vehicle stops. It is usually in her lunch time. But she will leave the food and run away to help in wounded in the vehicle.

Usually there is a change of caretakers every five days. It will be a huge task for us to explain the procedures and maintenance procedures to the newcomers. But none of us had that job for a month when Theivanai sister stayed. She taught everything to the newcomers. “I am married and have a son, otherwise I will be with you for long time ago. How terrible that all these little children are injured and we are savely at homes. I also want to fight.”

If you see the speed in Theivanai sister´s works, others will appear to be zombies. She run and lift the wounded fighters. Seeing her lift like that, made others work hard too. If there is one person we can’t forget, it’s Theivanai sister.

“It sounds like something is breaking.”

“A good story. What? Why did you suddenly stop?” “Sister, don’t feel bad. I don’t think I can afford the vehicle repair right now.”

“Oh no! We have to go to Puliyam Pokkanai Junction and where is Vattakachi? How can we do it now? I have to take you all there before time.”

“Let’s walk, sister.”, Theivanai sister says. “Sister, it is not a problem for rest of us. Would you walk that far?”

“Can`t I? have walked a lot during working in the field.” “Okay then. Everyone we walk.”

“Sister! Don’t you mind leaving your son to alone? “I am worried when I think of my son.”

“Then why are you so stubborn to come to the field with us and fight? Why did you stay in the medical field”

“No dear…. I stayed there for a month. I’m ashamed to think of all those little ones getting hurt. That’s why I thought to go to the field and fight. Will you not raise my son for me if something happen to me?”

“Then why did you not join the movement before you get married?”

“I have no father and mother. I was accused of working in a house. I don’t know the outside world except that house. They are the ones who have done this marriage for me. Only after the marriage

I even knew that everyone was going to the movement for the liberation. So many children.

After doing so much for the country and dying, thinking that I am the only one who is passing the time in vain. I also want to die for the liberation.”

“Not everyone dies in the fight. You know that.”

“I know. I am not going to die. I will fight repeatedly. That’s it.”

The event that Theivanai sister had been waiting for came quickly. She was one of the fighters who were selected to our place in Palaly. She was telling her story to the figthers on the way from Pokkanai and Vaddakachi while walking with them.

She never returned. That heroic woman not only became a mother of a son but also the mother of this land. She is the gift of this nation. What other words can describe that mother?