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Isaipriya’s family reveal heartbreak over her death

warzonewomen
Aug 22, 2015
4 min read

By now those familiar with the atrocities that occurred during the final stages of the Sri Lankan civil war have probably heard the name ‘Isaipriya’ (real name Shoba). She was brutally murdered on May 18th 2009, the final day of the 26-year long civil war. Since then images have been released of her moments before and after her death, featured on Channel 4’s ‘No Fire Zone: the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka’. Footage shows her, found in a swamp and helped up by Sri Lankan soldiers who think she’s the LTTE leader’s daughter. Photographs reveal that she had been killed later that day. On May 19th the government listed her as ‘lieutenant colonel Issei-priya’ and claimed she died in combat.

But before the incidents surrounding her death made headline news, 28-year-old Isaipriya was known among the Tamil community in Sri Lanka and abroad, primarily as the News anchor for TTN, the LTTE-owned News station, she was also a singer, actress and dancer. Her family moved from Mallavi to Kilinochchi in July 2008 when the government ordered out all NGOs. In October they moved to Puthukudiyirupu and from there moved to six other villages. Six years later, two of her sisters, Dharmini and Geetha, who escaped from Sri Lanka with their mother Vetha and now live in the UK, reveal the details of that traumatic time and reflect on how her death has affected their lives.

Describe what life was like during the final stages of the war.

Dharmini: 2009 was the worst year of our lives. Oh God, I don’t have words to describe it. We didn’t know if we would be alive the next minute or not. In January, the government stopped food and medicine from coming in, many people were cramped in a small area and we had to make temporary shelters, wells and toilets. I gave birth to my daughter in a class room, I’ve lost my husband, we’ve suffered so much, I asked myself “Is being born Tamil a crime?”

Geetha: By April, the atmosphere was highly polluted, the air was filled with the smells of chemicals, blood, dead bodies and smoke. We were treated like animals. If people didn’t die from shelling, they died from lack of food or medicine. On April 13th-15th the government announced a ceasefire, but they fired at us non-stop. Death and despair was all around us.

How has the death of your sister affected you?

Dharmini: We found out on December 19th 2009. We were shocked and speechless. We were in India and couldn’t risk being identified so we turned the volume up on the TV and cried when we couldn’t control ourselves. She was very afraid of the Sri Lankan military, that’s why she didn't want to come with us. I want to know what she was thinking during her final moments. I still have questions about her death. How could she have been there alone? What happened to her husband? Why did they kill her? There are no answers to these questions…

Geetha: I hope and believe Tamils will get justice because of her, the evidence of the events surrounding her death is so strong. It’s not just us, what happened to her is upsetting for everyone to see, particularly women. What happened to her is something that should happen to no woman and because of that no one will forget her.

How do you feel about the video being called fake by the Sri Lankan government?

Dharmini: I could clearly identify her body- that was my sister. Whenever Tamils complain about the abuse they’ve suffered, the Sri Lankan government have always said it’s fake. Everyone has seen those images, we couldn’t stop it and it hurts us deeply, people would say ‘Where were you when all of this was broadcast?’ We had no answer.

Geetha: Everyone knows that video is real. By now there are so many videos showing the horrific incidents of that time, there’s no need to create one fake video like that.

How do you want her to be remembered?

Dharmini: She was eight years younger than me, I saw her as more of a daughter than a sister, I miss her dearly and sometimes it still feels like a dream. She was kind, innocent and had a very soft nature.

Geetha: Everyone in our area knew her, most Tamils know the name ‘Isaipriya’ because of her job reading the news and everyone will also remember her because of what happened to her. Everyone who is born a Tamil wants greater rights for all Tamils, we want self-determination in our own country and on our own land- she wanted that too and she wanted to do something for Tamil people.

What are your hopes for Sri Lanka in terms of the rights of Tamil people, particularly women?

Dharmini: All over the world, during war, military personalities are the same in their behaviour and Sri Lanka is not exempt from this. In the North and East people still suffer, the women there are smart but they’re affected by poverty, disability and a strong military presence after the war. We can expect a change in Tamil rights only when Tamils rule themselves. Otherwise there are some possibilities for change but only when the government of 2009 is punished for war crimes.

Geetha: In Sri Lanka, Tamil women need freedom, they have no safety. Our life was so difficult in 2009, the war started so that we could have separate land, so Tamils could be free but in the end nothing happened. Through the UN we believe that Tamils will get justice and that’s what Tamils in Sri Lanka also believe.

In what way do you hope justice will be served?

Dharmini: The Sri Lankan government will not do anything, something needs to happen via the UN and the perpetrators should be brought on trial at the Hague. According to international law, whatever punishment war criminals get is what we want.