Tamil Tigress in our midst
August 29, 2011
Former Tamil Tigers member, now mother of two and living in Sydney, Niromi de Soyza will be joining local business women at their September meeting on Tuesday September 13 sharing her story on growing up in the war-torn country of Sri Lanka and becoming a child soldier in the country’s bloody civil war.
The breakfast will be held at Maroochydore Surf Club and will undoubtedly capture the attention of members and guests alike as Niromi recounts her story of how, at the young age of 17, she left the safety of her middle-class Sri Lankan family to join the country’s feared guerrilla insurgency.
Sue Willis, President of the Sunshine Coast Business Women’s Network says she is looking forward to welcoming Niromi and discovering what drove the young woman to become one of the rebel’s first female soldiers, equipping herself with a rifle and cyanide capsules as she fought the Sri Lankan military in the country’s ruthless jungle.
“It is hard to believe that this incredible woman living in our midst, now a mother of two, is a former guerilla who fought in the Sri Lankan civil war in what she calls a ‘quest for equality,’ the defence of the Tamil minority against the oppressive Sinhalese government – a cause which is still close to her heart even today,” said Sue.
“After a year of facing not only the perils of war, but starvation, illness, growing tensions among the militant tigers and the deaths of some of her closest friends, Niromi made the brave decision to leave the Tigers and she migrated soon after to Australia.”
Having witnessed the terrible effects of violence early in life and the atrocities of war, Niromi believes her experiences have taught her all about the transient nature of human life and to not to take anything for granted. Niromi came to the realisation that there are better ways to solve differences than fighting violence with violence and is glad the violence in Sri Lanka is now over.
This September breakfast is sponsored by Minda Lennon and the team at Figure 8 Wellness, women seeking wellness. Figure 8 Wellness appeals to those who may be overweight, overworked, overtired, overwhelmed, out of control and lacking motivation, or simply energy or time! The morning will continue with a post breakfast workshop by Kylie Jane of KJ Make-Up Artistry who will talk about skin types and conditions, basic skincare, stages of aging, the art of makeup and carrying your ‘day look’ through to night.
The morning commences at 6.30am for coffee and networking with the professional development workshop from 8.30 – 9.30am.
Tickets are $37 for members and $54.50 for non-members. Bookings must be received by 11am Friday September 9 and can be made online at www.scbwn.org.au/events.htm or alternatively contact Kerry for assistance on coordinator@scbwn.org.au
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