Samudaya.org » Books & Arts » No More Tears Sister

Books & Arts

No More Tears Sister

by Rajani | June 2005

Screened at the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival in New York recently, "No more Tears Sister: Anatomy of Hope and Betrayal" documents the story of human rights activist Rajani Thiranagama, assassinated in 1989. The film, made by Canadian filmmaker Helene Klowdawsky recreates Thiranagama's story as told through the voices of those that knew her. Her story is inextricably linked to the violent Tamil-Sinhalese conflict that has engulfed Sri Lanka for most of its modern history.

Thiranagama's story is a story of the growth, education and life of two sisters, Rajani herself and her older sister Nirmala. Nirmala outlines how the two grew up in a middle class Tamil family in Jaffna. They both go away to college and return home politicized and inspired by the idealistic doctrine of leftist politics. Whereas at first they both become actively involved in the struggle for the rights of both the Sinhalese and Tamil populations, over time—moved by the struggle of the minority ethnic Tamils against the oppressive Sinhalese state—they are drawn into the cause of Tamil nationalism.

Thiranagama, a doctor by profession, initially has ambivalent feelings towards Tamil nationalism and militancy. However, when Nirmala—who is much more deeply involved—becomes a political prisoner, she decides to dedicate herself fully to the cause of Tamil rights.

This is a time of intense political conflict. While the Sinhalese government is brutal in its repression of Tamil activism, the Tamil militants also become increasingly violent. One group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)—most commonly known as the Tamil Tigers—emerge dominant after crushing competing Tamil liberation groups. The result is unabated violence between the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE as well as political killings within the Tamil group itself. The LTTE's need for extreme secrecy means that disillusioned activists find it next to impossible to leave the organization without risking their lives. In such an atmosphere, the sisters become disenchanted with the endless ruthlessness of the movement and the brutalization of society that is occurring and rapidly sweeping away all traces of the utopian dreams of the 1970s.

Thiranagama, however, still believes there is a role for her in her conflict-ridden hometown of Jaffna. She settles there with her young daughters as an anatomy professor. By this time, the conflict is further fuelled in the region by the Indian army that arrives as a peacekeeping force. The community is caught between the various armed forces and Thiranagama experiences the deterioration of society, the increased violence against women and the cost of speaking out against the parties concerned.

Thiranagama's stance becomes that of an untiring human rights advocate. Part of the University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR), she actively becomes involved in helping out victims of the war. With her colleagues in the UTHR, she produces a document known as "The Broken Palmyra". This is a document that uses interviews with Sri Lankans in the community to detail human rights abuses committed by all sides of the conflict.

Thiranagama's murder—widely believed to have been committed by an LTTE assassin—was brutal, though ultimately not surprising. At a late point in the film, Nirmala turns her head away as she emotionally remarks that she feels guilty and responsible that it was her imprisonment that involved her sister in the conflict in the first place. Nirmala is much more strong and composed in the rest of the documentary. She is strong as she laughs about the unsuitability—in their parents' eyes—of her sister's Sinhalese husband. And she is matter-of-fact when she claims that for those that relied on violence for political ends, her sister—with her evenhanded critique of all sides—had gotten "too big for her boots". It is clear that Thiranagama—once useful for treating wounded Tamil militants—had become an inconvenient threat.

This documentary, made partly from rare archival footage, personal correspondence and interviews, had to mostly rely on reenactments due to the impossibility of filming in Jaffna, the risk facing anyone who wanted to contribute, and the lack of images of the subject. This has meant that the film often does not flow very well. Parts of the reenactment seem gimmicky and forced at times. However, the subject matter easily draws in the viewer. And the heartfelt testimonial of the interviewees—Thiranagama's sisters, daughters and husband—carries the film. Thiranagama's older daughter Narmada is particularly impressive. Making an appearance during the film's screening in New York, she fielded questions from audience members afterwards. Her views on the importance and primacy of the human rights of all people came across in an inspired and articulate manner. Obviously influenced by her mother and her aunt, she appears to be the type of woman her mother might have believed in—one that refuses to be made a victim.

Thiranagama's story and the documentary have a special resonance for women. It is about a woman who grew into a feminist, made by a woman who wanted to profile women activists in conflict-ridden regions. Still, it is also of significance to all those who consider themselves advocates of human rights. Human rights activists and organizations in Nepal have undergone much criticism from those that believe that their documentation of human rights violations is biased, as well as those that even accuse them outright of being directly culpable for the continuing violence. This plays into the hands of the people who would do away with human rights activists (and human rights with them)—the perpetrators of violations. This is not to say that human rights organizations and activists should never be criticized. However, as Thiranagama's story shows, human rights activists are putting themselves at enormous risk to fight for what they believe in. In a way, the human rights activist has no friend on either side of any given conflict. She is always an inconvenient threat, as Thiranagama was—if the LTTE had not murdered her, the Sri Lankan army probably would have.

In a larger sense, this film is not about one woman or women in general. It is about the will to fight for a better world, the perils of narrow-minded nationalism and, ultimately, the need to struggle for human rights.

Bookmarks

Feeds

Entries (RSS)
Comments (RSS)

Contact

Submit your work, or send us feedback. Write to us at folks[at]samudaya[dot]org.

Books & Arts

No More Tears Sister

Post a comment

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Bookmarks

Feeds

Contact

advertisement