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Revision as of 09:55, 19 January 2007 editRumpelstiltskin223 (talk | contribs)3,160 edits B'Singham himself has not committed any terrorist acts, right? His group has. If his group affiliation renders him as a terrorist then why isnt Hassan Nasrallah also catted as one?← Previous edit Latest revision as of 08:57, 28 October 2024 edit undoAugmented Seventh (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users13,113 edits Undid spelling revision 1253867365 by 202.65.68.102 (talk)Tags: Undo Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit 
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{{Short description|Sri Lankan journalist}}
{{Infobox Biography
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
| subject_name = Anton Balasingham
{{Infobox person
| image_name = Anton Balasingham1.jpg
| honorific_prefix = Voice of the Nation<ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TamilNet">{{cite news|title=LTTE leader salutes 'Voice of the Nation'|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=20611|work=]|date=14 December 2006}}</ref>
| image_size = 150px
| name = Anton Balasingham
| image_caption = Balasingham in June 2006
| honorific_suffix =
| date_of_birth = ] ]
| native_name = அன்ரன் பாலசிங்கம்
| place_of_birth = {{flagicon|Sri Lanka}} ], ]
| native_name_lang =
| date_of_death = ] ]
| image = Anton Balasingham1.jpg
| place_of_death = {{flagicon|UK}} ], ]
| image_size =
| occupation = chief political strategist, <br>chief negotiator
| spouse = ] | alt =
| parents = | caption = Balasingham in June 2006
| children = | birth_name = A. B. Stanislaus
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1938|03|04|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2006|12|14|1938|03|04|df=yes}}
| death_place = ], United Kingdom
| nationality = ]<ref name="TT151206"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Tamil Tigers' top negotiator dies|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6180301.stm|work=]|date=14 December 2006}}</ref>
| other_names =
| citizenship =
| education =
| alma_mater = ]
| occupation = Journalist
| title =
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party =
| spouse = ]
| partner =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
| signature =
| signature_alt =
| signature_size =
| website =
| footnotes =
}} }}
'''Anton Balasingham Stanislaus''' ({{langx|ta|அன்ரன் பாலசிங்கம் சிடானிசுலாசு|translit=Āṇṭaṉ Pālaciṅkam Ciṭāṉisulās}}; 4 March 1938 &ndash; 14 December 2006) was a ] journalist, rebel and chief political strategist and chief negotiator for the ], a ] in ].


==Early life and family==
'''Anton Stanislaus Balasingham''' (] ] – ] ]) was the chief political strategist and chief negotiator of the ] ] group ]. He was a ] citizen of ] ] origin from ].
Balasingham was born on 4 March 1938.<ref name="TG020107">{{cite news|last1=Gardiner|first1=Barry|title=Obituary:Anton Balasingham|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/jan/02/guardianobituaries.world|work=]|date=2 January 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Bastians|first1=Dharisha|last2=Indraguptha|first2=Gihan|title=Prabha loses his 'guiding star'|url=http://www.nation.lk/2006/12/17/newsfe3.htm|work=]|date=17 December 2006|access-date=13 December 2016|archive-date=13 January 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070113081238/http://www.nation.lk/2006/12/17/newsfe3.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> His father was an electrical foreman from ] in eastern ] and his mother was a midwife from ] in northern Ceylon who met whilst they were both working at ].<ref name="DM101216">{{cite news|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=|title=LTTE Political Adviser Balasingham knew the world was going to clobber the tigers|url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/LTTE-Political-Adviser-Balasingham-knew-the-world-was-going-to-clobber-the-tigers-120497.html|publisher=]|date=10 December 2016}}</ref><ref name="SL171206">{{cite news|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=|title=Bala Annai was the voice of the Tamil Eelam nation|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20061217/issues.htm#Bala|work=]|date=17 December 2006}}</ref> Balasingham's paternal grandfather was a ] priest.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>


Balasingham's parents ] and following his father's death, Balasingham along-with his mother and sister moved to ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> The family lived in a rented house and his mother worked as a midwife at the Ambam clinic.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham was educated at Sacred Heart College, Karaveddy and ].<ref name="TG020107"/><ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>
==Biography==

Balasingham was raised a ], the religion of his mother, but as he grew up he became a ] and ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He was also attracted to ] which had strong support in the Karaveddy area.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He was an acquaintance of S. Sivagnanasundaram, editor of the ''Sirithiran'' magazine and cartoonist (using the pseudonym Sundar) of the ''Savari Thambar'' ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He was married to Australian-born ].


He was born in ] on the 4th of March in the minority ] dominated Northern Province of ]. His father was a ] and mother a ]. His father also hailed from ] where as his mother was a native ]. Although brought up a Christian, he became an ] in his adult life{{fact}}.
{{Sri Lankan Conflict}}
==Career== ==Career==
===Colombo===
After his graduation from school in Jaffna, he worked as a journalist in a ] newspaper and as a translator at the ] in ]. Balasingham was initially married to a Sri Lankan Tamil. After she died due to the complications of chronic ], he married ] in ], ], in 1978. Adele, an ]n citizen and a nurse by professional training, became a prominent member of the women’s wing of the LTTE.
With Sivagnanasundaram's help, Balasingham became a ] of the ] based '']'' newspaper in the 1960s.<ref name="TG020107"/><ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TI181206">{{cite news|last1=Huggler|first1=Justin|title=Obituary: Anton Balasingham|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/anton-balasingham-428974.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/anton-balasingham-428974.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|work=]|date=18 December 2006}}</ref> He was in charge of foreign news which entailed translating ] and other articles into ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham lived at a chummery (hostel) in ], close to the ''Virakesari'''s offices, and spent much of his free time reading.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He became interested in ] and ] and occasionally practised ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>


Balasingham then got a job as a ] at the British High Commission in Colombo.<ref name="TG020107"/><ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TI181206"/> He fell in love with Pearl Rasaratnam, a Tamil Methodist woman and daughter of a former principal of ], who was working at the ] next to the High Commission.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TI180207">{{cite news|last1=Fernando|first1=Nalin|title=Who was Anton Balasingham?|url=http://www.island.lk/2007/02/18/features6.html|work=]|date=18 February 2007}}</ref> The couple married on 16 July 1968 at Kollupitiya Methodist Church.<ref name="TI180207"/> Pearl was a sick woman and so the couple decided to move to the UK for treatment.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TI180207"/> With the help of the British High Commission the couple left Sri Lanka on 3 August 1971.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TI180207"/>
In the past, Adele herself has been involved in the peace talks, as the secretary of the LTTE delegation. In April ], Anton Balasingaham appeared alongside LTTE leader ] in a rare press conference in the LTTE held town of ] in Sri Lanka.


===London===
From the ] in ] to the first round of the Geneva talks held on ]-], ] Balasingham was the head of the LTTE delegation in all the peace negotiations with the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=20366 |title=Anton Balasingham afflicted by rare cancer |accessdate=2006-11-26 |format= |work=TamilNet }}</ref><ref name="SCPP">{{cite web |url=http://www.peaceinsrilanka.com/peace2005/Insidepage/PeaceTalks/PeaceTalksMain.asp. |title= Ceasefire Talks |accessdate=2006-11-26 |format= |work=Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process }}</ref> But he could not participate in an October round because of ill health and few months after, In November 2006, Balasingham was diagnosed with cancer. He was suffered from ], ], a degenerative disease of the nervous system, and possibly medicine-induced ].<ref name="AST">{{cite web |url=http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/2545 |title=Anton Balasingham – will he or will he not lead LTTE delegation to Geneva talks? |accessdate=2006-11-26 |format= |work=Asiantribune }}</ref>.
Balasingham and Pearl lived in a small flat in ], ].<ref name="TI180207"/> Balasingham enrolled at the Institute of Psychotherapy and worked at the Inner London Executive Council.<ref name="TI180207"/> Pearl's condition deteriorated and was diagnosed with ], chronic ] which required ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TI180207"/> Balasingham had to work, study and care for his sick wife.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He was also diagnosed with ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> The couple later moved into a ] in the Blenheim Gardens Estate in ], London.<ref name="TI180207"/> Pearl died in November 1976.<ref name="TI180207"/> Her cremated remains were taken back to Sri Lanka and ] at ] following a memorial service at Kollupitiya Methodist Church.<ref name="TI180207"/> Balasingham returned to the UK.<ref name="TI180207"/>


During his wife's illness Balasingham became acquainted with ], an Australian nurse working in the UK.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham and Wilby were married at Brixton registrar office on 1 September 1978.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="SL100814">{{cite news|last1=Nathaniel|first1=Camelia|title=The White Tiger In London|url=http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/08/10/the-white-tiger-in-london/|work=]|date=10 August 2014}}</ref> Balasingham obtained a ] degree from the ] after completing a ] on ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He started a ] course under John Taylor but didn't complete his studies.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="SL100814"/>{{Efn|Another source states that Balasingham gained a PhD.<ref name="TT151206">{{cite news|title=Obituary: Anton Balasingham|url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/obituaries/article2087396.ece|work=]|date=15 December 2006}}</ref>}}
==Death and funeral==
He died due to terminal cancer on December 14, 2006.
]
An eloborate funeral was organized at ] in north London. Many ] and others from ] and from places such as ], ], ], ], ], ] and ] came by coaches and planes to pay pay their last respect to Anton Balasingham.
His ] was placed at the front of the Palace’s Great Hall and was escorted in by an honour guard, white gloved and dressed in black suits. After a brief initial ceremony, where many activists around the world participated by placing flower petals on Balasingham’s body, followed by a long line of families with children, youth and older people and distinguished personalities.


Balasingham's interest in left-wing politics continued in London, getting involved in Marxism and the ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He became involved in the ] cause which was active amongst Tamil students in London and was associated with the ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="SL100814"/> He was acquainted with leading militants such as ] and ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He was recruited into the ] (LTTE) by its London representative N. S. Krishnan.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="SL100814"/> Balasingham wrote leaflets and pamphlets in English and Tamil and carried out translation for the LTTE.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>
While paying respects, many were seen to weep openly, others prayed and some lifted their young children so they also could place petals. Community organizations from across the world had sent representatives and they placed dozens of wreaths and bouquets alongside the casket. Balasingham was cremated shortly afterwards at a private ceremony. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=20673|title=Thousands show up for funeral for Anton Balasingham |accessdate=2006-12-21 |format= |work=Tamilnet }}</ref>.


According to the pro-Sri Lankan government Asian Tribune, posters condemning the funeral extravaganza for Anton Balasingham were seen pasted all over ]. The posters written in ] were critical of the renting of the Palace's Great Hall at the cost of 8 millions of ]n ]s by the ] for the final funeral rites, while they cited that people in the ] and ] of ] were facing possible death due to starvation<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/3753 |title=Posters condemn funeral show for Anton Balasingham |accessdate=2006-12-21 |format= |work=Asian Tribune }}</ref>.

==Reactions==
===LTTE=== ===LTTE===
Balasingham and Wilby travelled to ], India frequently where they met LTTE leaders such as ] and ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> When Prabhakaran and Maheswaran split, Balasingham tried to reconcile the two but after having failed, sided with Prabhakaran.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham grew close to LTTE leader Prabhakaran and, following the ] anti-Tamil riots in 1983, he and his wife moved to ], Tamil Nadu.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham became the LTTE's theoretician and chief spokesman.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Though Balasingham didn't take part in the 1985 Thimpu talks he was in constant contact with the LTTE delegation (Lawrence Thilagar and Anton Sivakumar) and gave them instructions.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="BBC141206">{{cite news|last1=Liyanage|first1=Priyath|title=Brain behind the Tigers' brawn|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6180653.stm|work=]|date=14 December 2006}}</ref> Following the failure of the peace talks the Indian government expelled Balasingham who returned to London.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Pressure from Tamil Nadu politicians resulted in the Indian government allowing Balasingham to return to Tamil Nadu.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>
Rebel leader ] said in a rare emotional statements that {{cquote|The light of our nation is extinguished, there is no Bala with me today to seek counsel and solace.}}<ref>LTTE's Anton Balasingham 68, Dies of Cancer. (2006, December 22). India-West, p. A8.</ref>
and that:
{{cquote|His death comes at a time when we needed him most, as our freedom struggle intensifies. I cannot find words to express my grief and loss.}}<ref> BBC - December 15, 2006</ref>


Sri Lankan intelligence tried to assassinate Balasingham by planting a bomb in his house.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Kandasamy Naidu, a former Sri Lankan police officer and politician, was arrested in connection with the attempted assassination.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham accompanied Prabhakaran to important meetings, such as that with ] ] in ] in 1986, to act as translator and political adviser.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="BBC141206"/> When Prabhakaran returned to Jaffna in 1987 Balasingham remained in Madras to oversee political work but later he and Wilby also moved to Jaffna.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> When ] between the LTTE and ] (IPKF) in late 1987 Balasingham and Wilby became targets for the Indian Army.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> The couple went on the run and managed to evade capture by moving from house to house.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> They eventually returned to London via India.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>
===Government of Sri Lanka===
The Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka commented {{cquote|His life long achievement is considered to be his ability to manipulate peace negotiations and postpone them indefinitely under various ruses until his movement could raise enough funds from the Tamil Diaspora and rearm the Tamil Tiger cadres strong enough to face the Sri Lanka army.}} .


Balasingham returned to Sri Lanka in 1990 to lead the LTTE delegation in the peace talks in Colombo.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Following the collapse of the peace talks Balasingham and Wilby moved to Jaffna which had been taken over by the LTTE following the withdrawal of the IPKF.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> As well as political matters Balasingham was in charge of the media in Jaffna.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham wrote numerous articles including those under the pseudonym "Brahma Gnani" in the ''Velicham''.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham did not take any direct part during the 1994/95 peace talks in ] but instead monitored the talks from another room and exchanged notes with ] who led the LTTE delegation.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> When the ] recaptured in the ] in 1995/96 the LTTE withdrew to the ] and Balasingham and Wilby relocated to ] near ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Later they moved to ].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>
===State Government of Tamil Nadu===
] Chief Minister ] who in his condolence message had stated {{cquote|I am unable to bear the sorrow over the death of my friend Mr Anton Balasingham, who I have known for many years.}}


By now Balasingham's health was deteriorating due to renal complications.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> The LTTE sought Sri Lankan government permission on humanitarian grounds to allow Balasingham to fly abroad via Colombo for medical treatment.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> The LTTE released a large number of Sri Lankan ] as a goodwill gesture.<ref name="TT151206"/> Initially ] ] was favourable to granting permission but, after consulting with ] ], made a series of demands in return for granting permission.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> The Sri Lankan government was exploiting Balasingham's health to extract major military concessions from the LTTE.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham asked Prabhakaran to reject the demands, saying he was "prepared to die with honour and self-respect rather than accede to these humiliating demands".<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> The LTTE came up with another way of sending Balasingham abroad and on 23 January 1999 he was taken by sea to ] in Thailand.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TT151206"/> Balasingham was taken to hospital in ] where it was discovered that he had an enlarged kidney which needed to be removed.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham was taken to ] and onto London.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TT151206"/> He was allowed to go to ], Norway where he received a ] donated by Donald, a young Sri Lankan Tamil.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>
According to the pro-Sri Lankan government Asian Tribune, he was criticised by Dr. ] a prominent Indian politician who is a staunch critic of the ] who claimed {{cquote|Balasingham was a terrorist who at least once has publicly and arrogantly relished the assassination of ]. In 1995 he had warned the then President of Sri Lanka, Ms. ] that she would face the same fate as ] if she confronted the LTTE.}} .


After recovering Balasingham resumed his pursuit of peace.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He led the LTTE's discussions with the Norwegian government which resulted in the ceasefire which came into force on 23 February 2002.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham returned to Sri Lanka on 25 March 2002, arriving by seaplane at ] via ].<ref name="TT151206"/><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=|title=Now to Bangkok|journal=]|date=13 April 2002|volume=19|issue=8|url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1908/19080500.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Balasingham returns to Vanni|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=6795|work=]|date=25 March 2002}}</ref> He was at Prabhakaran's side when the LTTE leader met various Sri Lankan politicians.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham's health meant he couldn't stay in the Vanni long but nevertheless he led the LTTE delegation at Norwegian mediated peace talks with the Sri Lankan government in Thailand, Norway, Germany, Japan and Switzerland.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> The peace talks failed and as the situation in Sri Lanka deteriorated so did Balasingham's health.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He was diagnosed with ] and given 6–8 weeks to live.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="BBC151206">{{cite news|title=Tamil Tigers mourn for ideologue|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6182381.stm|work=]|date=15 December 2006}}</ref> The cancer spread to his liver, lungs, abdomen and bones.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="BBC151206"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Tamil Tiger negotiator has cancer|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6176052.stm|work=]|date=23 November 2006}}</ref> Speaking of his illness, Balasingham told the '']'' website "when compared to the vast ocean of the collective tragedy faced by my people, my illness is merely a pebble".<ref name="TI181206"/><ref name="BBC151206"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Anton Balasingham afflicted by rare cancer|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=20366|work=]|date=22 November 2006}}</ref> Balasingham died on 14 December 2006 at his home in South London.<ref name="TT151206"/><ref>{{cite news|title=Anton Balasingham passes away|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=20610|work=]|date=14 December 2006}}</ref> On that day the LTTE conferred the title Thesathin Kural (Voice of the Nation) on Balasingham.<ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TamilNet">{{cite news|title=LTTE leader salutes 'Voice of the Nation'|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=20611|work=]|date=14 December 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Situation Report|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/061217/Columns/sitreport.html|work=]|date=17 December 2006}}</ref> Balasingham's funeral was held on 20 December 2006 at ], London with a parallel service in the Vanni region.<ref>{{cite news|title=Thousands throng Balasingham's funeral held in London|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=20673|work=]|date=20 December 2006}}</ref>
===International Media===
Priyath Liyanage the Editor of ] ] service wrote that Balasingham's death is a loss to both sides of the ]. He credited Balasingam as the only moderating force within an otherwise belligerent rebel group and the only man within the group that could criticize and influence the leader ]. He added that Balasingam was known for his relentless attempts to bring the Tigers to the international negotiating arena. It was mainly due to his perseverance that the Tigers acquired a reputation as a progressive organization among certain liberals in the west.


==Further reading==
He also credited Balasingam with bringing the attention of the world to a forgotten war in this small island nation. Although Balasingham was plagued with physical ailments he valiantly attended all the peace talks. According to Liyanage, Balasingam’s death will be a blow not only to the Tamil Tigers but also to many in the south of the country as he provided a thread of hope for a peaceful resolution to the seemingly intractable and escalating conflict of Sri Lanka. <ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6180653.stm|title=Anton Balasingham |accessdate=2006-12-22 |format= |work=BBC world }}</ref>.
*{{Cite magazine|title=China is giving arms to Sri Lanka in order to contain India: Anton Balasingham|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19911015-china-is-giving-arms-to-sri-lanka-in-order-to-contain-india-anton-balasingham-814944-1991-10-15|date=1991-10-15|first=Amarnath K.|last=Menon|magazine=]}}
*{{Cite magazine|title=Top LTTE negotiator Anton Balasingham dead|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/newswire/story/top-ltte-negotiator-anton-balasingham-dead/437331|date=14 December 2006|via=]|magazine=]}}
*{{Cite magazine|title=He symbolised hope|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/world-affairs/article30189804.ece|date=12 January 2007|author=B. Muralidhar Reddy|magazine=]}}
*{{Cite book|title=To End a Civil War: Norway's Peace Engagement in Sri Lanka|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eHxeCwAAQBAJ|year=2015|first=Mark|last=Salter|publisher=]| isbn=9781849046671 }}


==Notes==
{{Notelist}}


== References == ==References==
{{Reflist}}
<div class=
"references-small">
<references/></div>


==External links== ==External links==
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*. ''].''
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*{{Cite web|title=Killing Rajiv Gandhi was biggest mistake: LTTE ideologue|url=https://www.indiatvnews.com/politics/national-killing-rajiv-gandhi-was-biggest-mistake-ltte-ideologue-318647|date=March 11, 2016|via=]|website=]}}
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Latest revision as of 08:57, 28 October 2024

Sri Lankan journalist

Voice of the NationAnton Balasingham
அன்ரன் பாலசிங்கம்
Balasingham in June 2006
BornA. B. Stanislaus
(1938-03-04)4 March 1938
Died14 December 2006(2006-12-14) (aged 68)
London, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
Alma materSouth Bank Polytechnic
OccupationJournalist
SpouseAdele Ann Wilby

Anton Balasingham Stanislaus (Tamil: அன்ரன் பாலசிங்கம் சிடானிசுலாசு, romanized: Āṇṭaṉ Pālaciṅkam Ciṭāṉisulās; 4 March 1938 – 14 December 2006) was a Sri Lankan Tamil journalist, rebel and chief political strategist and chief negotiator for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a separatist Tamil militant organisation in Sri Lanka.

Early life and family

Balasingham was born on 4 March 1938. His father was an electrical foreman from Mandur in eastern Ceylon and his mother was a midwife from Jaffna in northern Ceylon who met whilst they were both working at Batticaloa Hospital. Balasingham's paternal grandfather was a Hindu priest.

Balasingham's parents separated and following his father's death, Balasingham along-with his mother and sister moved to Karaveddy. The family lived in a rented house and his mother worked as a midwife at the Ambam clinic. Balasingham was educated at Sacred Heart College, Karaveddy and Nelliady Central College.

Balasingham was raised a Roman Catholic, the religion of his mother, but as he grew up he became a rationalist and agnostic. He was also attracted to leftist politics which had strong support in the Karaveddy area. He was an acquaintance of S. Sivagnanasundaram, editor of the Sirithiran magazine and cartoonist (using the pseudonym Sundar) of the Savari Thambar cartoon strip. He was married to Australian-born Adele Ann Wilby.

Career

Colombo

With Sivagnanasundaram's help, Balasingham became a sub-editor of the Colombo based Virakesari newspaper in the 1960s. He was in charge of foreign news which entailed translating Reuters and other articles into Tamil. Balasingham lived at a chummery (hostel) in Grandpass, close to the Virakesari's offices, and spent much of his free time reading. He became interested in philosophy and psychology and occasionally practised hypnotism.

Balasingham then got a job as a translator at the British High Commission in Colombo. He fell in love with Pearl Rasaratnam, a Tamil Methodist woman and daughter of a former principal of Hartley College, who was working at the British Council next to the High Commission. The couple married on 16 July 1968 at Kollupitiya Methodist Church. Pearl was a sick woman and so the couple decided to move to the UK for treatment. With the help of the British High Commission the couple left Sri Lanka on 3 August 1971.

London

Balasingham and Pearl lived in a small flat in Camberwell, London. Balasingham enrolled at the Institute of Psychotherapy and worked at the Inner London Executive Council. Pearl's condition deteriorated and was diagnosed with pyelonephritis, chronic kidney failure which required haemodialysis. Balasingham had to work, study and care for his sick wife. He was also diagnosed with diabetes. The couple later moved into a council house in the Blenheim Gardens Estate in Brixton, London. Pearl died in November 1976. Her cremated remains were taken back to Sri Lanka and interred at Kanatte Cemetery following a memorial service at Kollupitiya Methodist Church. Balasingham returned to the UK.

During his wife's illness Balasingham became acquainted with Adele Ann Wilby, an Australian nurse working in the UK. Balasingham and Wilby were married at Brixton registrar office on 1 September 1978. Balasingham obtained a M.A. degree from the South Bank Polytechnic after completing a dissertation on Marxism. He started a PhD course under John Taylor but didn't complete his studies.

Balasingham's interest in left-wing politics continued in London, getting involved in Marxism and the Anti-Apartheid Movement. He became involved in the Tamil militant cause which was active amongst Tamil students in London and was associated with the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students. He was acquainted with leading militants such as E. Ratnasabapathy and K. Pathmanabha. He was recruited into the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by its London representative N. S. Krishnan. Balasingham wrote leaflets and pamphlets in English and Tamil and carried out translation for the LTTE.

LTTE

Balasingham and Wilby travelled to Tamil Nadu, India frequently where they met LTTE leaders such as V. Prabhakaran and Uma Maheswaran. When Prabhakaran and Maheswaran split, Balasingham tried to reconcile the two but after having failed, sided with Prabhakaran. Balasingham grew close to LTTE leader Prabhakaran and, following the Black July anti-Tamil riots in 1983, he and his wife moved to Madras, Tamil Nadu. Balasingham became the LTTE's theoretician and chief spokesman. Though Balasingham didn't take part in the 1985 Thimpu talks he was in constant contact with the LTTE delegation (Lawrence Thilagar and Anton Sivakumar) and gave them instructions. Following the failure of the peace talks the Indian government expelled Balasingham who returned to London. Pressure from Tamil Nadu politicians resulted in the Indian government allowing Balasingham to return to Tamil Nadu.

Sri Lankan intelligence tried to assassinate Balasingham by planting a bomb in his house. Kandasamy Naidu, a former Sri Lankan police officer and politician, was arrested in connection with the attempted assassination. Balasingham accompanied Prabhakaran to important meetings, such as that with Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in Bangalore in 1986, to act as translator and political adviser. When Prabhakaran returned to Jaffna in 1987 Balasingham remained in Madras to oversee political work but later he and Wilby also moved to Jaffna. When war erupted between the LTTE and Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in late 1987 Balasingham and Wilby became targets for the Indian Army. The couple went on the run and managed to evade capture by moving from house to house. They eventually returned to London via India.

Balasingham returned to Sri Lanka in 1990 to lead the LTTE delegation in the peace talks in Colombo. Following the collapse of the peace talks Balasingham and Wilby moved to Jaffna which had been taken over by the LTTE following the withdrawal of the IPKF. As well as political matters Balasingham was in charge of the media in Jaffna. Balasingham wrote numerous articles including those under the pseudonym "Brahma Gnani" in the Velicham. Balasingham did not take any direct part during the 1994/95 peace talks in Chundikuli but instead monitored the talks from another room and exchanged notes with S. P. Thamilselvan who led the LTTE delegation. When the Sri Lankan military recaptured in the Jaffna peninsula in 1995/96 the LTTE withdrew to the Vanni and Balasingham and Wilby relocated to Thiruvaiyaru near Kilinochchi. Later they moved to Puthukkudiyiruppu.

By now Balasingham's health was deteriorating due to renal complications. The LTTE sought Sri Lankan government permission on humanitarian grounds to allow Balasingham to fly abroad via Colombo for medical treatment. The LTTE released a large number of Sri Lankan prisoners of war as a goodwill gesture. Initially President Chandrika Kumaratunga was favourable to granting permission but, after consulting with Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, made a series of demands in return for granting permission. The Sri Lankan government was exploiting Balasingham's health to extract major military concessions from the LTTE. Balasingham asked Prabhakaran to reject the demands, saying he was "prepared to die with honour and self-respect rather than accede to these humiliating demands". The LTTE came up with another way of sending Balasingham abroad and on 23 January 1999 he was taken by sea to Phuket in Thailand. Balasingham was taken to hospital in Bangkok where it was discovered that he had an enlarged kidney which needed to be removed. Balasingham was taken to Singapore and onto London. He was allowed to go to Oslo, Norway where he received a transplanted kidney donated by Donald, a young Sri Lankan Tamil.

After recovering Balasingham resumed his pursuit of peace. He led the LTTE's discussions with the Norwegian government which resulted in the ceasefire which came into force on 23 February 2002. Balasingham returned to Sri Lanka on 25 March 2002, arriving by seaplane at Iranaimadu Tank via Maldives. He was at Prabhakaran's side when the LTTE leader met various Sri Lankan politicians. Balasingham's health meant he couldn't stay in the Vanni long but nevertheless he led the LTTE delegation at Norwegian mediated peace talks with the Sri Lankan government in Thailand, Norway, Germany, Japan and Switzerland. The peace talks failed and as the situation in Sri Lanka deteriorated so did Balasingham's health. He was diagnosed with bile duct cancer and given 6–8 weeks to live. The cancer spread to his liver, lungs, abdomen and bones. Speaking of his illness, Balasingham told the TamilNet website "when compared to the vast ocean of the collective tragedy faced by my people, my illness is merely a pebble". Balasingham died on 14 December 2006 at his home in South London. On that day the LTTE conferred the title Thesathin Kural (Voice of the Nation) on Balasingham. Balasingham's funeral was held on 20 December 2006 at Alexandra Palace, London with a parallel service in the Vanni region.

Further reading

Notes

  1. Another source states that Balasingham gained a PhD.

References

  1. ^ Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (17 December 2006). "Bala Annai was the voice of the Tamil Eelam nation". The Sunday Leader.
  2. ^ "LTTE leader salutes 'Voice of the Nation'". TamilNet. 14 December 2006.
  3. ^ "Obituary: Anton Balasingham". The Times. 15 December 2006.
  4. "Tamil Tigers' top negotiator dies". BBC News. 14 December 2006.
  5. ^ Gardiner, Barry (2 January 2007). "Obituary:Anton Balasingham". The Guardian.
  6. Bastians, Dharisha; Indraguptha, Gihan (17 December 2006). "Prabha loses his 'guiding star'". The Nation (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 13 January 2007. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  7. ^ Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (10 December 2016). "LTTE Political Adviser Balasingham knew the world was going to clobber the tigers". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
  8. ^ Huggler, Justin (18 December 2006). "Obituary: Anton Balasingham". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022.
  9. ^ Fernando, Nalin (18 February 2007). "Who was Anton Balasingham?". The Island (Sri Lanka).
  10. ^ Nathaniel, Camelia (10 August 2014). "The White Tiger In London". The Sunday Leader.
  11. ^ Liyanage, Priyath (14 December 2006). "Brain behind the Tigers' brawn". BBC News.
  12. Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (13 April 2002). "Now to Bangkok". Frontline. 19 (8).
  13. "Balasingham returns to Vanni". TamilNet. 25 March 2002.
  14. ^ "Tamil Tigers mourn for ideologue". BBC News. 15 December 2006.
  15. "Tamil Tiger negotiator has cancer". BBC News. 23 November 2006.
  16. "Anton Balasingham afflicted by rare cancer". TamilNet. 22 November 2006.
  17. "Anton Balasingham passes away". TamilNet. 14 December 2006.
  18. "Situation Report". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 17 December 2006.
  19. "Thousands throng Balasingham's funeral held in London". TamilNet. 20 December 2006.

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