Archive for December 15th, 2006
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ideologue Anton Stanislaus Balasingham passed away peacefully in his South London residence at 1. 45 pm (British time) on Thursday December 14th. His loving and devoted Australia – born wife Adele Anne was by his side as the 68 year old Tamil leader breathed his last. Tiger supremo Velupillai Pirapakaran has honoured Balasingham by bestowing the title “Voice of the Nation” post – humously on him.
His death was not unexpected ever since it was known the doctors had given him 4 – 6 weeks to live. Balasingham or Bala “Annai” (elder brother) as he was generally known among Tamils was diagnosed with bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma), a rare and aggressive malignancy of the biliary system. The cancer was in an advanced stage and spread to his liver, lungs, abdomen and bones.
Bala Annai was a sick man even before cancer afflicted him.He was suffering from diabetes for 35 years and in the late nineties developed renal disease, for which he underwent a kidney transplant in 1999.
When diagnosed as having cancer Balasingham made the following comment to the media on Nov 22nd this year. “it is an unfortunate personal tragedy. However, when compared to the vast ocean of the collective tragedy faced by my people, my illness is merely a pebble. I am deeply sad that I am crippled by this illness, unable to contribute anything substantial towards the alleviation of the immense suffering and oppression of my people.”
Balasingham was chief negotiator of the LTTE and its political strategist. He was called “arasiyal madhiyurainjar” (political adviser.
LTTE chief Velupillai Pirapakaran issued a special statement after Balasingham’s death. In that statement Praba announced that Bala annai had been conferred the “Thesathin Kural” or “”Voice of the nation” title. Usually the LTTE confers “Naattup Patraalar” (patriot) or “Maamanithar” (great human) titles on departed civilian supporters. Cadres dying in combat are made “Maaveerar” or “great heroes”. In the case of Balasingham whose “status” was special in the tiger hierarchy a new honour has been created.
The LTTE leader’s statement is repproduced below -
“A source of unwavering strength in the political and diplomatic efforts of our freedom movement, and the light of our nation is extinguished. Bala Annai, from whom I sought advice and solace, is no more with us. It is an irreplaceable loss for our entire nation and for me.
Bala Annai’s life has been much too short. 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.
From the beginning of our struggle, when we first met, there was a deep mutual understanding. The fondness that rose from that understanding developed into a rare friendship. We thought and acted in unison. Our friendship grew in strength through our shared day-to-day experiences. This friendship stands apart from ordinary human relationships. It matured with time and was shaped by our shared history.
I was deeply fond of Bala Annai. In the great family that is our movement he was its eldest son and its guiding star for three decades. That is how I looked up to him. During the time we lived together as one family, I came to realize that he was no ordinary human being. He was strong and unshakable even during the illness that threatened to take his life and the severe pain that illness brought him. The strength of his soul was inspirational. I grieve for him.
Bala Annai has a permanent historic place in the growth and the spread of our movement. He was its elder member, its ideologue, its philosopher and, above all, my best friend who gave me encouragement and energy. He shared my sorrows, my anxieties and my travails. He was with me from the very beginning of our movement, sharing its challenges and hardships. He was the central figure in all our diplomatic efforts.
Saluting the immeasurable service he rendered our nation in the political and diplomatic arenas and the efforts by which he put our national freedom movement on the world stage, allowing our nation to stand with dignity, I am proud to bestow the title of ‘Voice of the Nation’ on Bala Annai.
Bala Annai has not left us. He will live permanently in our thoughts. ”
Meanwhile a three – day period of mourning has been declared in North – Eastern Sri Lanka and amidst Tamil diaspora sections abroad. It will be effective from Dec 15th to Dec 17th.
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December 15th, 2006
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Anton Stanislaus Balasingham was born in 1938. He was a blend of many strands. His father was from the East and Mother from the North. His mother was a Christian and father a Hindu. His parents were also of different castes.Though raised as a Catholic Balasingham soon became a rationalist and agnostic. Yet he was deeply moved and inspired by the teachings of Lord Buddha. Balasingham’s first wife was a Jaffna Tamil protestant. His second wife was an Australian woman of anglo – saxon extraction. He was a British citizen but yearned for his homeland – Tamil Eelam – which he believed was a state in formation.
Balasingham’s grandfather was a “saiva kurukkal” (non – brahmin priest) from Mandur in Batticaloa district. His father was an electrical foreman at the Batticaloa hospital. Bala annai’s mother was from Jaffna town and a former resident of Martins road. She was a midwife by profession and was working at the Batticaloa hospital when she met. loved and married Bala annai’s father.
She was later separated and then widowed at an early age. Balasingham along with mother and elder sister moved to the North as a child. They settled down at Karaveddy in the Vadamaratchy sector. Bala Annai’s mother worked as midwife at the “Ambam clinic” in Karaveddy near the Athulu water tank. They rented out a house near the clinic which belonged to former Palaly Training College Principal , Kandasamy.
In his childhood and early youth Balasingham was known as AB Stanislaus. He attended Sacred Heart College in Karaveddy and Nelliaddy Central College (later MMV) in Nelliaddy. Karaveddy – Nelliaddy was a leftist bastion those days. The legendary Pon. Kandiah and many other “communists” hailed from there.Young Stanny as he was known then was also subscribed to leftist ideologies. Another of his favourite pastimes was to sip tea and play cards at the tea boutique at Nelliaddy junction run by “Sangunni” who was a Malayalee from India.
One man who profoundly influenced Stanislaus those days was the doyen of Tamil cartoonists Sivagnanasundaram who ran the reputed magazine “Sirithiran”later. Cartoonist “Sundar” as he was known was famous for his “Savari Thambar”strip. He too was from Karaveddy.It was due to Sivagnasundaram’s efforts that Stanislaus was apponted sub – editor at the Colombo Tamil newspaper “Virakesari” in the early sixties.
Stanny stayed in a grandpass chummery close to the “Virakesari” those days.Former colleagues at the “Virakesari” speak of him as a man engrossed in reading most of the time. He was not concerned about his appearance and not very particular about clothes. Meals too were not at regular times. At the “Virakesari” Stanislaus was soon put in charge of foreign news. This entailed translation of Reuters copy and other articles on foreign affairs. Balasingham however was keenly interested in philosophy and psychology. He also dabbled in hypnotism.Ex – colleagues descrbehim as Spiritual but not religious.
Things changed soon as Stanislaus got a job as Translator at the British High Commission. There was a transformation in his appearance as he opted for smart clothes now. This was not entirely due to the new job alone. Cupid too had struck. He was enamoured of a beautiful Tamil woman at the Britiish Council adjacent then to the HC. There was a romance . They married .
But their happiness was short – lived test when his first wife became extremely ill requiring advanced treatment abroad. British authorities were very sympathetic and generous . Both were allowed to go to England. Balasingham continued his higher education in England. But his wife’s condition deteriorated. She had chronic renal failure, ending with her requiring life sustaining haemodialysis. Balasingham discovered in London that he too had diabetes.
It was a life of hardship and sacrifice then with Balasingham having to work, study and care for his ailing wife. After six years she died. By this time Balasingham had become acquainted with a trained hospital staff nurse who also a “stranger” in Britain as she was from Australia. A second romance flourished between the young widower Anton and the nurse Adele Anne. They married very simply at the registrar’s office in Brixton , South London on Sep 1st 1978.
Balasingham’s MA dissertation at the South Bank London Polytechnic was on the psychology of marxism. Later he began reading for his PhD on alienation under John Taylor.He never completed his Ph D. But the media generally refer to him as “Dr” Balasingham.Why did he not complete his Ph D? Adele says in her book “The will to Freedom”.thus -” But the demands of the revolutionary politics of the national liberation struggle of his(Balasingham’s) people constantly intervened in his research and teaching. A time came when he was compelled to choose between an academic life and revolutionary politics. He chose the latter for he viewed the cause of his people as just and to serve that cause was meaningful”.
Both Adele and Anton Balasingham served the Tamil people to the best of their ability. While he was called Bala annai she was called “Anty” (Aunty)/ In her book Adele speaks of her life with Anton in the following manner -
“…It all began when I married a Tamil man, Anton Balasingham, from the island of Sri Lanka, in 1978. In that union, I married the collective consciousness and history of a people: a man who embodied the Tamil psyche with all its strengths and weaknesses. greatness and failings. That history took me to live in the society and culture of one of the world’s oldest Eastern civilisations: in the land of the ancient historical origins of his people, Tamil Nadu, the Southern Dravidian state of India.
For many years too I lived in his birthplace, Jaffna, the cultural capital of the Tamil people in tile Northeastern part of Sri Lanka, otherwise known as Tamil Eelam. I became immersed in the trials and tribulations, joys and celebrations of a people in the throes of a struggle to survive against a sophisticated manifestation of genocide. Subsequently, for the past twenty-three years of my life I have been exposed to extraordinary and unique experiences.
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December 15th, 2006
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Anton Stanislaus Balasingham began dabbling in politics after he moved to London. He was essentially a marxist then and identified with progressive causes like anti – apartheid activism. The Tamil Eelam cause was becoming fashionable among Tamil youths and students in Lonmdon then. Balasingham was initially involved with the Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS) founder Eliyathamby Ratnasabapathy. who also passed away on Dec 12th in London. Bala annai also interacted with Padmanabha the EPRLF leader then a student in London.
It was the tiger representative in London Krishnan who enticed Balasingham into the LTTE.The Prabakharan – Umamaheswaran clash leading to the LTTE split resulting in the formstion of the PLOTE. Initially Balasingham was commissioned to write tracts, leaflets, pamphlets etc for the LTTE in English and Tamil. Later he did a lot of translation for the tigers. The Balasingham’s made frequent trips to Tamil Nadu where they met LTTE leaders like Uma and Prabha.
Balasingham and Praba drew close. when the LTTE split occurred Balasingham was requested initially to reconcile the factions. He failed to do so. After the split became permanent Balasingham threw in his lot with Prabakharan though the Praba loyalists were very few when compared to the Uma group.The marxist made the transition into Eelam Tamil nationalism.
The 1983 July anti – Tamil pogrom was a watershed. The Tamil guerillas backed by New Delhi became a visible presence in Tamil Nadu. The Balasinghams re- located to Chennai. “Dr. A. S. Balasingham” became the LTTE’s theoretician, chief propagandist and premier spokesperson.The Balasingams stayed in Pattinapakkam, Thiruvanmiyoor and later Adaiyar.
The Tamil militant groups were kept in the background by Mrs. Indira Gandhi who relied on the TULF for negotiations with Colombo. Rajiv Gandhi changed all that by compelling five Tamil groups including the LTTE to participate in the Thimphu talks in Bhutan in 1985. Sections of the media including the LTTE’s own “Tamilnet” are erroneously stating that Balasingham was at the Thimphu talks. This is incorrect. The LTTE representatives were Lawrence Thilagar and Anton Sivakumar. Balasingham was in constant communication and directed them.
The refusal of the Tamil militants in toeing New Delhi’s new line made Rajiv Gandhi angry. He ordered the removal of Anton Balasingham and SC Chandrahasan from India. Balasingham was sent to London. Subsequently Tamil Nadu pressure made Rajiv relent. Balasingham returned to India triumphantly. There was also an assassination attempt on Balasingham’s life allegedly masterminded by Sri Lanka intelligence. Former Policeman and up Country Tamil politician Kandasamy Naidu was arrested on suspicion of planting an explosive device in Balasingham’s house.
Balasingham described as tiger ideologue accompanied Prabakharan for important meetings in his dual capacity as translator /interpreter and political adviser.He was present with Praba at the Bangalore meeting with Rajiv Gandhi in 1986. The year 1987 saw Praba moving to Jaffna leaving Bala annai to oversee political work in Chennai. In July Praba himself was brought to India by helicopter. Together with Balasingham, Yogi, and Thilagar, Prabakharan went to New Delhi. Despite the LTTE’s refusal to India decided to go ahead with the Indo – Lanka accord.
The Balasinghams now went to Jaffna. Balasingham himself was in the Thirunelvely office organizing political work. But war erupted soon. Both husband and wife were targets of the Indian army. Adele being a white woman would have been conspicuous in Jaffna. Yet they eluded capture being constantly on the move and staying with different people at different times.There was a time when both lay flat on their faces for hours in a paddy field. At one stage they had to go to “toilet” in the dark and in the open. Balasingham would stand guard over his wife. Adele B writes of these experiences vividly in her book “The will to freedom”.
The Balasinghams made their way back to India and from there to Britain. But Balasingham was back in Colombo again for talks with Ranasinghe Premadasa.The Govt – LTTE talks started and Balasingham led the tiger delegation.An understanding was arrived at and soon the Indian army was forced to withdraw from Sri Lanka. Once the Indians left the Colombo – Jaffna relationship collapsed. War broke out again.
The Balasinghams were now resident in Jaffna with the greater part of the North being under LTTE control. While Adele Anne helped out with the medical unit and the womans wing Balasingham attended to political matters. The Jaffna media too came under his indirect control.Old acquaintances and friends were entertained well by Balasingham who had a nostalgic yearning for re – living the past.He also wrote extensively . Among these were many metaphysical articles under the pseudonym “Brahma Gnani” for the “Velicham” journal.
It was during this period that deputy – leader Mahathaya was removed from office by Prabakharan for alleged treason. Potu Amman “interrogated” him and obtained a “confession”.Yogi the political wing head was also removed.The LTTE chief wanted to appoint trusted confidante Sornalingam alias Shankar as Political chief.Balasingham had deep differences with Shankar and discouraged Praba. Instead of Shankar Balasingham got Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan as political commissar.Thamilselvan known as Dinesh earlier had been injured in the Pooneryn battle and needed a walking stick.
The advent of Chandrika Kumaratunga saw peace talks on the horizon again. The team led by Chandrika’s secretary Balapatabendhi met the LTTE delegation led by Thamilselvan for talks at Chundikuli. Balasingham himself was in another room monitoring and advising Tamilselvan. A flurry of notes were exchanged between “visible”Thamilselvan and “invisible” Balasingham.The game was given away when “Jimmy” the Balasingham’s pet dog emerged from the “control” room. But the very same Thamilselvan “grew” with the years and in a later development backstabbed Balasingham. But that’s another story.
Once again war broke out in April 1995. “Operation Riviresa” saw the LTTE withdrawing from Jaffna peninsula into the Northern mainland Wanni. Anton and Adele too re- located. They stayed at Thiruvaiyaaru near Kilinochchi town initially. Later they moved to a house in Puthukudiyiruppu with a large compound of shady trees. It was like blissful retirement for Balasingham. But soon a fresh problem surfaced.
Years of diabetes and an unorthodox life- style had taken their toll. Balasingham was sufferring from acute renal afflictions. Medical doctors in the Wanni felt that he had to go abroad for advanced treatment. Otherwise he was a goner they said. LTTE leader Pirapaharan thereafter initiated an uncharacteristic move. He enlisted the services of the ICRC, sections of the Catholic Clergy and Norway to make a direct appeal to his arch enemy Chandrika Kumaratunga on humanitarian grounds. She was requested to grant permission for Balasingham to travel abroad through Colombo for medical treatment.
Kumaratunga’s initial response was positive. The course of events altered drastically after former Foreign Affairs Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was also consulted by Kumaratunga on the issue. While the LTTE awaited a favourable concrete response from Kumaratunga, Balasingham’s situation got worse.
Finally, Norway informed the LTTE that the Kumaratunga – Kadirgamar duo had worked out a list of demands titled ’significant reciprocal humanitarian gestures’ that were to be fulfilled by the LTTE if Balasingham was to be sent abroad with Sri Lankan governmental assistance. These conditions were of a military nature.
It was clear that Kumaratunga was seeking to exploit Balasingham’s vulnerability and trying to extract major concessions in return. The Balasinghams told Pirapaharan to reject the demands outright. Balasingham reportedly stated that he was ‘prepared to die with honour and self-respect rather than acceding to these humiliating demands.’ Pirapaharan was furious at the demands stipulated by Kumaratunga and Kadirgamar.
Pirapaharan assured Mrs. Balasingham that he would do everything possible to send Balasingham abroad for medical treatment. A new option was pursued.
Balasingham and wife were taken on January 23, 1999 by a Sea Tiger boat personally driven by Sea Tiger Commander Soosai to a LTTE ship at mid sea. Thereafter, the ship proceeded to Phukhet in Thailand. After recovering from the strenuous journey that itself could have been fatal, Balasingham was admitted to a hospital in Bangkok for examination and treatment. This indicated that an enlarged kidney had to be removed soon.
They moved to Singapore and proceeded to London. After interacting with Norwegian officials, Balasingham relocated to Oslo for surgery and kidney transplant.
A young Sri Lankan Tamil in Norway ‘Donald’ volunteered to donate one. After recuperation and recovery Balasingham plunged in zestfully into promoting the peace process. His first public appearance in London was on December 2 1999 , at the Arena in London docklands of the Maaveerar Naal observances. He represented the LTTE in all discussions with Norway while communicating regularly with Pirapaharan.
The LTTE political adviser established very good relations with Erik Solheim.Balasingham was primarily responsible on the LTTE side for getting the ceasefire adopted.It came into force from Feb 23rd 2002. The ceasefire was very much to the favour of the LTTE and afforded much scope for resolving the national question.
Balasingham then made a triumphant re- entry into the Wanni by travelling on a sea plane from Maldives that landed on the Iranaimadhu tank. He was at Praba’s side in meetingss with the Muslim Congress, Up Country Peoples Front and Ceylon Workers Congress. Balasingham was also at the press conference where he said that he and the LTTE chief were of the “Same mind ” and “spoke with the same voice”.
An unforeseen development was the Karuna revolt. Once again Balasingham tried hard to patch up the split as he realised the long – term consequences of a North – East divide and an alignment of Karuna with the state. A temporary truce was effected and Karuna was prepared to quit the Country.But the mainstream LTTE adopted a hard – line thereby driving Karuna into the arms of the state. The rest is recent history.
Due to health conditions Balasingham could not stay for prolonged periods in the Wanni but he made occasional visits for consultations. He also led the LTTE delegation at talks with the Govt in Thailand, Norway, Germany and Japan. With the LTTE adopting a change of course in the talks Balasingham began adopting a low profile. Deteriorating health also contributed to this state of affairs.
Presidential polls saw Mahinda Rajapakse win mainly due to the LTTE enforced boycott.Yet Balasingham was back again to lead the LTTE again at talks in Geneva early this year. Once again Balasingham obtained a major concession from Colombo when the Govt agreed to disarm “paramilitaries”. But the assurance was not honoured. The situation got worse and there is a war going on right now.
Meanwhile Balasinghams condition got worse. He was diagnosed with cancer and given 4 – 6 weeks to live. Despite the terminal illness he wrote the great heroes day speech for Praba this year. That was his swansong. He got worse day by day. Still he met people personally and also talked on the telephone to people. He renewed his friendships and made his peace with those old but estranged friends of his. He waited quietly for Yaman the god of death. On Dec 14th he died.
The person most appropriate to sum up Balasingham is none other than his wife. This is what she wrote earlier in her “Will to Freedom” book. – ” Bala was, when I met him, most things I hoped the man I married would be; mature, wise, mentally strong and most importantly, caring. By wise I did not mean an intellectual and by mentally strong I did not mean ‘macho’, overbearing or aggressive. I was hoping to meet that exceptional human being who is humble but not weak: who is simple but yet deep; who is assertive but not egoistic; who is confident but not arrogant; who was generous; who is proud but not vain; a person who is not selfish and thoughtless. That was the man I met all those years ago, and I knew Balasingham was for me within a few weeks of our first meeting”
And what better epitaph than what she wrote about her “new” life in her book ” It all began when I married a Tamil man, Anton Balasingham, from the island of Sri Lanka, in 1978. In that union, I married the collective consciousness and history of a people: a man who embodied the Tamil psyche with all its strengths and weaknesses. greatness and failings.”
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December 15th, 2006