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Interview: A Former Tamil Tiger Child Soldier Charts His Path From Forced Recruitment to Healing
Pitasanna Shanmugathas | University of Windsor Faculty of Law, CA The interview was initially published by “JURIST” on September 20, 2024. Kagusthan Ariaratnam, a former child soldier turned defense analyst, speaks with JURIST about his new memoir Spy Tiger: The 05 File. The book, co-written with Michael Bramadat-Willcock, details Ariaratnam’s experiences during the Sri Lankan civil war…
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Espionage & Survival: A Book Review Of ‘Spy Tiger: The 05 File’
By Pitasanna Shanmugathas The “Colombo Telegraph” originally published this book review on September 20, 2024. The memoir Spy Tiger: The 05 File, co-written by Kagusthan Ariaratnam and Michael Bramadat-Willcock, offers an intense and eye-opening narrative of Kagusthan’s journey, initially as a forcibly recruited child soldier and later as an informant for the Indian and Sri Lankan governments,…
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No Indigenous Naval Shipbuilding: Pakistan’s Continued Dependence on Foreign Military Aid
Despite its status as a nuclear power, Pakistan relies heavily on foreign military aid and imports for its naval modernization. Over the decades, the country has failed to establish a self-sufficient indigenous maritime shipbuilding industry. Instead, Pakistan depends on foreign suppliers – notably China, the United States (US), and Turkey – for advanced naval platforms…
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Book Review: Disappointing Dissection of Tragedy
This is an outside-the-box analysis of the Easter Sunday Bombings on the fifth anniversary of the tragedy. The official story of the Easter Sunday Massacre in Sri Lanka perfectly fits as fake news as the Sri Lankan government is trying to cover up the Easter Sunday attacks, which is evident in a recent book by…
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Justin Trudeau is at the forefront of the fight against authoritarianism
Introduction In a world marked by increasing geopolitical tensions and the rise of authoritarian regimes, leaders who champion democracy and human rights play a pivotal role in shaping the global political landscape. Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has emerged as a prominent figure in defending democracy and standing up against authoritarian regimes, particularly in the…
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The Affidavit Submitted to Canada Border Service Agency to Support the Tamil Boat People
***amended and unclassified*** I, Kagusthan Ariaratnam (also known as Murali) of the city of Montreal, in the province of Quebec, MAKE OATH AND SAY AS FOLLOWS: SWORN BEFORE ME in the City of Montreal, Province of Quebec, this 19th November 2009. ________________________ A Commissioner, etc. Featured image: CTV News
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From the Eyes of a Tiger: Schizo-affect resulting from being a former child soldier – Part III
The civil war in Sri Lanka from 1983-2009 was generally viewed as one of Asia`s most prolonged ethnic conflicts of the 21st century. It was and still is a conflict born out of ethnonationalism, where nationality, ethnicity, identity, religion, and culture played a significant role. It refers to the use of unconventional methods as part…
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From the Eyes of a Tiger: International Dimensions of the Sri Lankan civil war – Part I
I was only 17 years old when I was kidnapped from high school and forcibly deployed as a child soldier by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), better known as the Tamil Tigers. I rose quickly in the ranks to become an intelligence officer collaborating closely with the Tiger leadership. Over more than four…
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“Letting Go”: A 26 Dec 2004 Tsunami Story
By Wg Cdr (retd.) Bhupinder S. Nijjar This article was originally published by Vertilift Aviation Insights on December 26, 2020 Meghna Rajasekhar posted the above photograph in May 2020. A Tsunami survivor herself, she had clicked it during her recent visit to Carnicobar Island in the Andamans. The picture unleashed a wave of emotions and…
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The US-Led NATO And Its Allies Need Dominance In Afghanistan Over Global Powers, Not Over Their Proxy Taliban
By Siddhant Hira and Kagusthan Ariaratnam As US-led NATO forces prepare to withdraw from Afghanistan, General Scott Miller — the United States’ longest-serving military commander in the area — told the BBC that the priority of NATO troops is “the risks to our forces” and “the risks to the future of Afghanistan.” General Miller’s comments…