This is a bibliography of all known published works by Eelam Tamil women who had carried arms during the armed struggle and the writings of Eelam Tamil women who had first-hand experience living and working with the Tamil women who were carrying arms[1]. A good collection of such past publications have been archived at the padippakam and noolaham archive sites. These are listed in eight different categories below.
1. Works by Tamil Tiger Women
There is a vast collection of publication by both the Tamil Tigers as well the Women’s Division of the Tamil Tigers that contains writings of the Tamil Tiger women. Some of which are:
1.1 “Suthanthira Paravaikal”, Women’s Division of the Tamil Tigers. This is the foremost collection of publications that were issued regularly that contains mainly the writings of the Tamil Tiger women. Currently these issues appears to be unavailable
1.2 “Naatru”, Women Research Centre of the Tamil Tigers – a regular issue that also appears to be unavailable
1.3 “Veliccham”, Arts and Culture Division of the Tamil Tigers – a regular issue.
1.4 “Erimalai”, International branch of the Tamil Tigers – a regular issue.
1.5 “Vaanathiyin kavithaikal” – poetry collection, Vaanathy, Publication Division – Tamil Tigers, 1991
1.6 “Kasthooriyin Aakkankal” – writings, Kasthoori, Publication Division – Tamil Tigers, 1992
1.7 “Kaathoodu sollividu” – writings, Barathy, Publication Division – Women’s Division of the Tamil Tigers, 1993
1.8 “Eluthaatha un kavithai” – poetry collection by various women, Capt. Vaanathi Publication – Women’s Division of the Tamil Tigers, 2001
1.9 “Viluthaaki Veerumaaki” – history of 2nd Lt Malathy regiment, authours: A Kantha, S Puradchikaa and Malaimahal, 2nd Lt Malathy Regiment publication, 2003.
1.10 “Malaimakal kathaikal”- short story collection, Malaimakal, Capt. Vaanathi Publication – Women’s Division of the Tamil Tigers, 2004
1.11 “Meendum thulirkkum vasantham” – poetry collection, Ampuli, Capt. Vaanathi Publication – Women’s Division of the Tamil Tigers, 2004
1.12 “Vali” – short story collection, Capt Vaanathi publications – Tamil Tiger Women’s Division, 2005.
Another collection of poetry that has appeared in the various Tamil Tiger publications was re-published by a Women’s group, Oodaru, operating from among the diaspora Tamil women.
1.13 “Peyaridaatha nadchaththirankal”, poetry collection by various LTTE women, Oodaru-Vidiyal publication, 2011
1.14 “Pooraaliyin kaathali” – novella based on the pre-2009 period, Vettichchelvi, Cholan Padaippakam, Tamil Nadu, 2012
2. Adele Balasingam’s writings
Based of the qualification that this bibliography is of writings by Tamil women, Adele Balasingam will not qualify. However, she occupies a special place because her book on LTTE women remains to date the only authentic writing in English about LTTE women. This work, however, only describes the military achievements of the LTTE women.
2.1 “Women Fighters of Liberation Tigers”, Adele Balasingham, Tamil Tigers, 1993.
3. Work by women in other armed groups
No works by women in the other armed movements have been identified so far.
4. Women’s Research Circle (WRC) based in Jaffna University
4.1 “Sollaatha seithikal”, collection of poetry by many civilian anti-war women, 1986.
4.2 Rajani Thinaragam who was a key member of the Women’s Research Circle co-authored a book “Broken Palmyra” with three other male authors during the IPKF presence. In this work her name is not distinctly associated with any of the content.
4.3 Regular issues of “Pen” continues to this day by Surya Women’s Development Centre based in Colombo and Batticaloa. Surya Development Centre was closely associated with WRC until WRC became defunct during the late 1980’s following the assassination of Rajini Thinaragama allegedly by the Tamil Tigers.
5. 2009 experience
5.1 “Eelap poorin iruthi naatkal” – first-hand experience of end-war, Vettichchselvi, Cholan Padaippakam, Tamil Nadu, 2012.
5.2 “Oolikkaalam” – novel based on first-hand experience of end-war, Thamilkavi, Thamilini Publishers, Tamil Nadu, 2013.
5.3 “A fleeting moment in my ..” – first-hand experience of last years, N Malathy, Clarity Press, USA, 2012
5.4 “Enathu naatil oru thuli neeram” – the above in Tamil translation, Vidiyal Publishers, Tamil Nadu, 2013.
5.5 “Aaripoona Kaayankalin Vali” – first hand experience of Tamil Tiger women taken as POWs, Vetrichchelvi, Thavamani Pathippakam, 2016.
6. Post 2009 publications of much earlier experience
6. 1 “Tamil Tigress” – Author’s experience of less than one year (1987-88) membership in the Tamil Tiger movement, Niromi de Souyza, Allen & Unwin, 2011. Though touted as memoirs there is evidence that many of the sections in the book are fictitious,
6.2 “Ahaalam” – 1970’s experience of activism and torture, Pushparanee, Karuppu Pirathikal, 2013
6.3 “Oru Koor Vaalin Nilali” – Memoir of the ex-leader of the Women’s Section of the Political Wing of the LTTE, Thamilini, Kalachuvadu Pathippakam, 2016. Writing this memoir living in Colombo, Thamilini’s narrative twisted the truth according many others who were with her in many of the incidents she describes.
7. Post 2009 experience of LTTE women
7.1 “Kaanaamal poonavanin manaivi” – short story collection, Vettichchelvi, Cholan Padaippakam, 2012
7.2 “Ummath”- novel based only on post-2009 experience with Tamil Tiger women, Sarmila Seiyith, Kaalachuvadu publishers, 2013. Authour does not describe any experience with arms carrying women.
[1] A category of Tamil women based either in Colombo or in the Diaspora with very limited exposure to the arms carrying Tamil women have written articles/books about them. Some among them are: Radhika Coomarasamy, Darini Rajasingam-Senanayake, Nanthini Sornaraja, Ambika Satkunanathan and Nimmi Gowrinathan.
Tamil Tiger Women 