Former child soldier turned double agent and intelligence officer
Now a defence analyst, author, and consultant advocating truth, resilience, and reconciliation
In 2010, now Minister of Public Safety, @gary_srp - Gary Anandasangaree, warned me against labeling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a “terrorist organization” in my book. Here's what I think that means for Canada's national security ⤵️
https://t.co/HCrxrPlaiR
@RohanGunaratna "Gunaratna is heading a counterterrorism think tank, not a policy institute or academic institution focused on stability or sustainable peace. A butcher can only sell beef; he does not understand fish." https://t.co/2HBv47sbd3
A tribute to a man of peace and vision!
I have used the weekend to watch Neelan Unsilenced, a wonderful documentary from Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 written and produced by Pitasanna Shanmugathas.
It brought back so many memories from the Sri Lankan peace process.
The film follows my friend Neelan Thiruchelvam - a Tamil lawyer and politician who against high odds fought to bridge the divide between Singhala and Tamils in Sri Lanka. Neelan worked tirelessly to find constitutional solutions which could unite - and avoid war. He was also a global peacemaker and human rights activist. And a wonderful human being.
Sadly he became one of the many victims of the brutal conflict, murdered by a LTTE suicide bomber in 1999. Later Anton Balasingham, the LTTE leader who also worked for peace, said that Neelans constitutional proposals were the best which had been offered.
The film is a wonderful introduction to the constitutional issues at the core of the Sri Lankan conflict. You can watch the film for free here: https://t.co/mO55lnguPO
🚨 Declassified documents reveal Israel’s longstanding support for Sri Lanka
Recently publicized documents from Israel’s Foreign Ministry from the mid-1980s reveal Israel’s extensive support for Sri Lanka during the beginning of the armed conflict, despite human rights concerns.
As reported by @thewire_in , the documents that were partially opened to the public in the Israel State Archives outline the scope of Israel’s support to the Sri Lankan government, including military equipment and training.
Read more ⬇️
https://t.co/ItuKdGEepa