Join us for an eye-opening episode as we delve into the harrowing yet inspiring journey of Kagusthan Ariaratnam aka Murali, a former child soldier of the LTTE. In these podcast, our host Natasha Fernando discusses with Kagusthan Ariaratnam and Michael Bramadat-Willcock, the authors of ‘Spy Tiger 05 File’ the untold stories of resilience, survival, and the quest for peace.
Kagusthan’s story is not just about the past; it’s a powerful reminder of the ongoing need for awareness and action against the recruitment of child soldiers. His transformation from a war-torn battlefield to a peaceful life in Canada is a testament to the human spirit’s resilience.Tune in to understand the complexities of guerrilla warfare, the psychological impact on child soldiers, and the importance of global advocacy for human rights.
In this episode, host Nathasha Fernando sits down with Kagusthan Ariaratnam and Michael Bramadat-Willcock to discuss the life-story of a former child soldier of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). During the civil war in Sri Lanka, Kagusthan Ariaratnam was forcibly recruited to the LTTE and then subsequently defected to the Sri Lankan forces. He was sent by the LTTE as a mole to infiltrate the Sri Lankan military. After escaping from one side of the conflict to the other, he decided to provide his support to end the war. This journey was not an easy one but full of hardship, sorrow, torture, blackmail, exploitation and betrayal. Due to sheer will and love for his family, he escaped to Canada where he now lives. He is a graduate of the University of Ottawa with his own consulting firm. This podcast discusses the following:
1. Forcible conscription as a child soldier by the LTTE
2. Elite training and education received as a Spy Tiger
3. An insider’s view into the specialized branches of the LTTE
4. Navigating trauma and mental health issues
5. Difficult journey of publishing his story
Spotify: https://lnkd.in/e9d_w9gc
Earlier, Natasha Fernando wrote the book review for SADF: https://lnkd.in/e8554tVA