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Sensei Roberts awards 6th Dan Black Belt to Prabhakaran

by Dr. Elmo Rodrigopulle

'We will never again go back to war'. That was what the Liberation of Tigers of Tamil Eelam political wing leader S. P. Thamilchelvam told Sensei Bonnie Roberts when they met during the black belt awarding ceremony to LTTE Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, in Jaffna last week.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily News, Roberts who is the leading karate exponent in the country said that while waiting the arrival of the LTTE chieftain, he had impressed on the political wing leader the need for peace in the country for its prosperity. Thamilchelvam had then replied that they will never again go back to war.

Among the other LTTE big wigs that Roberts met and got talking to was Colonel Soosai, leader of the LTTE Sea Tigers. Soosai as a 16-year-old had undergone training in karate under Roberts when he was conducting classes in Jaffna.

According to Roberts, he had gone to Kilinochchi to conduct his usual classes, when the Tamil Eelam police had come and met him and told him that the LTTE chief Prabhakaran would like to meet him.

Roberts said he could not believe that he was actually going to meet the LTTE chief. He was taken to a destination, where he met Thamilchelvam and Soosai and it is while talking to them that he told the political wing leader that peace is a necessity in the country. A few minutes later in walked the LTTE supremo Prabhakaran who greeted Roberts. Roberts said that as a youngster Prabhakaran had practised the art of self defence and excelled at it and that he was delighted to award the LTTE chief the 6th Dan Black Belt.

Pleased to receive the award Prabhakaran had inquired from him about the progress of karate and wanted him to continue the good work. Roberts said that he was surprised when the LTTE chief gifted him a lakh of rupees for the further propagation of the art of self defence in the country. Prabhakaran had confided in Roberts that he was keen on building an International sports stadium in Jaffna so that the sportsmen and women in Jaffna and the country could continue to show their prowess.

In the past top notch sportsmen and women emerged from Jaffna, outstanding among them being Nagalingam Ethiriweerasinghan, who was the first Sri Lanka to go over the 6 feet mark in High Jump.

Prabhakaran also recognised Roberts as the 'Father of Karate' and in appreciation presented Roberts a gold medal embossed with the Tiger Emblem as a memento, and also presented him with a dagger.

Impressed with Roberts' coaching ability, Prabhakaran invited the grand master to take up permanent residence in Tamil Eelam and teach sportsmen and women the noble art of self defence. Prabhakaran had promised to provide him with all requirements.

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