Daya Master, the man who was once the media coordinator for the LTTE, has spoken out for the first time on television, talking about how the Tigers employed child soldiers and used civilians as human shields in the war against the state.

Confirming the long-standing allegation against his organization, Daya Master - who was in charge of the LTTE’s media wing - admitted the LTTE forcibly conscripted 15-16 year old children and that those parents who resisted were threatened or shot at.

He claimed LTTE cadres shot many civilians fleeing the no-fire zone. He also claimed he was against LTTE’s pullout from peace talks and this made him leave the outfit.

“When LTTE broke away from the talks in 2006, I decided to break away since I believed in negotiations. I did not want to continue as a member and was waiting for an opportunity to get out. LTTE breaking away from talks was not agreeable to me and since they weren’t allowing members to leave, I was waiting for a suitable opening to leave. For some time, I was without any official responsibility,” he said.

“Displacement began, I moved with my family to Valipunam. LTTE was holding Sri Lankans as hostages and attacked people trying to get out of Suthantheepuram. People were shot, many died. Nearly 200 civilians died due to LTTE fire. LTTE propaganda was that these people died due to military shelling. When these people moved to Puthumaththalan, civilians were shot when they were trying to get out. Many died. In many refugee positions like Suthantheerapuram, Udayrkattu and Puthumaththalan, LTTE forcibly took away children as young as those born in 1994, 1995, 1996,” Master said.