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Book Review – Stranger than Fiction: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination
The book Stranger Than Fiction: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination (2022) by Harish Venugopalan is a meticulous exploration of one of the most significant political assassinations in India’s modern history. The book delves into the events surrounding the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, highlighting the intricate web of political motives, social upheaval,…
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Book Review – Spy Tiger: The 05 File
By Bobby Fisher The memoir Spy Tiger: The 05 File by Kagusthan Ariaratnam and Michael Bramadat-Willcock is thrilling. It blends espionage, historical intrigue, and relentless action. This debut novel transports readers into a world of high-stakes intelligence. Shadowy conspiracies abound where nothing is as it seems. Danger lurks at every turn. The story follows a…
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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…