Forgotten Experiences of Up-country Tamil Women in Transitional Justice Dependence on the Trade Unions The trade unions in the plantation sector play a vital role in the lives of Up-country Tamils. Any issues that they face within the estate management they take to the thalaivar: the leader or representative of a particular trade union on an estate. There are many unions and therefore many thalaivars on an estate. These trade union representatives have some power, in that they decide when to take up an issue or complaint with their branch office, and whether they can provide any support. One woman said that a trade union representative took money to represent her issue at the regional union office. No matter what the next step is, it all depends on the trade union’s advice. However, these trade union representatives at the estate level are corrupt, which often delays the process. This extreme dependence on trade unions also causes delays in filing a case and reaching out to the appropriate state institution. Threats and Intimidation All the women interviewed in this study had faced threats and intimidation from service providers, estate management, and even the trade unions of which they are members. One woman was told by the estate management that her family member was a “terrorist”, and thus, the police did not need to help find him, and that her family deserved the isolation experienced from the rest of the community for its “criminal activities”. Another important factor is that women always focus on the issues faced by their male family members. They rarely talk about themselves and their own problems because of stigma 67