Watch No More Tears Sister

No More Tears Sister is a 2005 documentary that tells the story of Dr. Rajani Thiranagama, a Sri Lankan human rights activist who dedicated her life to promoting peace and justice amidst the brutal civil war that ravaged her country for more than three decades. Directed by Canadian filmmaker Helene Klodawsky, the film is based on the memoir of the same name written by Rajani's sister, Sharika Thiranagama. It features interviews with Rajani's family members, friends, colleagues, and students, as well as archival footage and photographs that offer a glimpse into the tumultuous history of Sri Lanka during the 1980s and 1990s.

The film begins with a montage of newsreels that illustrate the horrors of the Sri Lankan conflict, including bombings, abductions, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings carried out by both the Sri Lankan military and the Tamil Tiger rebels. Against this backdrop, we see Rajani as a young woman who joins the Tamil Tigers in the early days of the insurgency, believing that armed struggle is the only way to achieve justice for the Tamil minority.

However, as the conflict escalates and the Tigers become increasingly brutal and authoritarian, Rajani becomes disillusioned with their methods and ideology. She leaves the organization and goes to England to pursue a Ph.D. in anthropology, hoping to use her academic skills to understand the complex social and political dynamics of her homeland.

After completing her studies, Rajani returns to Sri Lanka and becomes a professor at Jaffna University, where she teaches anthropology and advocates for human rights and gender equality. She also co-founds the University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR), a group that documents abuses committed by all sides in the conflict and calls for an end to the violence through peaceful means.

The film portrays Rajani as a courageous and inspirational figure who was determined to speak truth to power, even if it meant putting her own life in danger. She was threatened by both the Sri Lankan military and the Tamil Tigers for her activism, and in 1989, she was assassinated by unknown gunmen in front of her home.

The rest of the film focuses on the aftermath of Rajani's death, as her family and friends struggle to come to terms with their grief and carry on her legacy. Sharika Thiranagama, who was a child at the time of her sister's murder, reflects on the impact that Rajani's life and death had on her own political consciousness and personal identity.

The film also features interviews with other UTHR members who recount the challenges and risks of their work, and the impact that Rajani had on their own lives and activism. Through their testimonies, we learn of the incredible bravery and resilience of Sri Lankan human rights defenders who continue to fight for justice in the face of ongoing violence and repression.

Overall, No More Tears Sister is a moving tribute to the life and work of a remarkable woman who dedicated herself to the cause of peace and justice in a time of great darkness and despair. Through its combination of personal anecdotes and historical context, the film offers both a poignant tribute to Rajani's memory and a powerful call to action for those who value human rights and social justice.