No child soldiers at this birthday bash

Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake

"This Australian MP has got it all wrong", said Nadesan Pulidasan, after his daily hour of prostrate worship at the feet of the Sun God in the Vanni.

"Who is this Australian, and what has he got wrong?", asked Sivaraja Vannichelvan, from the Political Wing of the Tigers.

"One Don Randall, who has got everything wrong about the birthday of our Sun God's daughter celebrated in London, UK."

"What's he got wrong? May be these media guys opposed to our Liberation Struggle planted some wrong information," said Vannichelvan.

"He says our divine daughter, Duwaraka's 20th birthday party in London is a 'rather unusual and bizarre birthday bash' said Pulidasan. "The man is trying to link the British ban on the Liberation Tigers with this very important birthday".

"Why don't we get our friends in Australia to send him a little message, to help him see reality?", asked Sounder Pulihalikkural, who had close links with the "Voice of Tigers".

"What kind of message are you thinking of?" asked Pulidasan,

"There is no need for a claymore, but a small letter bomb, to blow up in his face without doing much damage, can silence him and other such critics, too" said Vellai Karumpulihal, who had trained with the Black Tigers.

"Illai puli, we can't do that in Australia any more. Most of our friends there are keeping a low profile. Such a move will only make Australia proscribe us there, which is what this Don Randall wants done," said Vannichelvan.

'Why do we have to bother about what some crazy Australian MP has to say, when the British are very happy to let the precious daughter our Sun God have a memorable 20th birthday party in London? The bash must be extravagant enough to show Duwaraka's divine lineage.

Surely a daughter of a god can't have a dull and ordinary birthday party," said Kappal Kadathpulihal, just back from a Sea Tiger watch.

In Colombo, leaders of the National Peace Front, the umbrella organisation of those who want peace at any cost and preferably on Prabhakaran's terms, discussed the Birthday of the Year.

Acharya Gihan Saamasellama proposed they should send a message of greetings to Duwaraka, as it was her 20th birthday, being celebrated away from her father, in distant London. "Such a message of greetings can go a long way as a confidence building measure", he said.

"But don't you think we have to face enough allegations already of being too soft on the Tigers, that such a message will make this even worse?" asked a sceptical Jeevan Saamawardhana.

"We understand your concerns, but what difference can it make?" asked Acharya Saamasellama. "We must look at the larger picture.

"There will be reports of it in the media, picked up by wire-services and websites. This is the stuff that will impress our funding friends abroad, to write a blank cheque for next year's peace programme too," he said.

It was soon decided to send Miss Prabhakaran Duwaraka, a large bouquet specially flown by Interflora with a message of greetings from the National Peace Front.

At a UNICEF organised meeting to discuss the situation of children in the North and East, the big birthday in London came up for discussion. Mayuri Lamaalapati raised the question of Prabhakaran's daughter celebrating her birthday in such grand style in London, when there were so many child soldiers here, not even allowed to visit their parents for any special occasion.

A foreign UNICEF official said it was indeed a shocking situation, but there was nothing anyone can do about it as Miss Duwaraka was 20 years old, and not a child anymore. It went beyond the UNICEF mandate to make this an issue, she said.

"But can't we can make some protest at the daughter of a man who forcibly recruits children to carry arms for him, being free to study in London, and also have such an opulent birthday bash in a country where the LTTE is banned?" asked Mayuri.

"That's up to the British Government. When it allows Balasingham to speak in public on the LTTE's Heroes Day, while the LTTE is named a terrorist organisation, do you think Tony Blair will take any action about this birthday bash? Blair sees terrorists only in Iraq, Afghanistan and Muslims in the UK," said a British volunteer worker.

"Come to think of it, Cherie Blair may well say she can understand what motivates Prabhakaran to recruit children to carry arms, and also why his daughter should have a great do for her 20th birthday, in a foreign land" said Mayuri Lamaalapati.

The discussions about Duwakara's birthday were still on in the Vanni.

Eelanathan aka Carlos asked whether the delegation from Vanneelam for the party in London included any child soldiers. "We must not forget the huge service they do to our Sun God.

" I am sure the divine daughter will be delighted to have some arms-carrying children she can show her foreign guests, who have never seen a child soldier. Don't forget she liked to play with some of them when she was here" he said.

"Aiyaiyo! What nonsense are you talking about? How can we send any child soldiers there, when they are so badly needed for action here? Also, won't we be forcing the British to get really tough with us, much against their wishes, if we do that?" asked Pulidasan.

"So, what you say is that the Sun God's daughter has a party in London and no Pulikutty should be seen anywhere there?" asked Eelanathan.

"Exactly, the Pulikutty should only carry arms for the Sun God here, that's all. No birthday parties for them. Why don't we start planning from now on how our divine daughter will celebrate her 21st birthday? Do you think we can have a bash at Buckingham Palace, or even at No. 10, Downing Street?" asked Vannichelvan.