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{{Infobox person
| 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=[[TamilNet]]|date=14 December 2006}}</ref>
| name = Anton Balasingham
| honorific_suffix =
| native_name = அன்ரன் பாலசிங்கம்
| native_name_lang =
| image = Anton Balasingham1.jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Balasingham in June 2006
| 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 = [[London]], United Kingdom
| nationality = [[United Kingdom|British]]<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=[[BBC News]]|date=14 December 2006}}</ref>
| other_names =
| citizenship =
| education =
| alma_mater = [[South Bank Polytechnic]]
| occupation = Journalist
| title =
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party =
| spouse = [[Adele Ann Wilby]]
| partner =
| children =
| parents =
| relatives =
| signature =
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| website =
| footnotes =
}}
'''Anton Balasingham Stanislaus''' ({{lang-ta|அன்ரன் பாலசிங்கம் சிடானிசுலாசு|translit=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 [[Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups|separatist Tamil militant organisation]] in [[Sri Lanka]].

==Early life and family==
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=[[The Guardian]]|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=[[The Nation (Sri Lanka)]]|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 [[Mandur (Sri Lanka)|Mandur]] in eastern [[British Ceylon|Ceylon]] and his mother was a midwife from [[Jaffna]] in northern Ceylon who met whilst they were both working at [[Batticaloa Hospital]].<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=[[The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)]]|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=[[The Sunday Leader]]|date=17 December 2006}}</ref> Balasingham's paternal grandfather was a [[Hindu]] priest.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>

Balasingham's parents [[Marital separation|separated]] and following his father's death, Balasingham along-with his mother and sister moved to [[Karaveddy]].<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 [[Nelliady Central College]].<ref name="TG020107"/><ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>

Balasingham was raised a [[Roman Catholicism in Sri Lanka|Roman Catholic]], the religion of his mother, but as he grew up he became a [[rationalist]] and [[agnostic]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He was also attracted to [[Left-wing politics|leftist politics]] 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'' [[cartoon strip]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>

==Career==
===Colombo===
With Sivagnanasundaram's help, Balasingham became a [[sub-editor]] of the [[Colombo]] based ''[[Virakesari]]'' 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=[[The Independent]]|date=18 December 2006}}</ref> He was in charge of foreign news which entailed translating [[Reuters]] and other articles into [[Tamil language|Tamil]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Balasingham lived at a chummery (hostel) in [[Grandpass]], close to the ''Virakesari'''s offices, and spent much of his free time reading.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He became interested in [[philosophy]] and [[psychology]] and occasionally practised [[hypnotism]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>

Balasingham then got a job as a [[translator]] 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 [[Hartley College]], who was working at the [[British Council]] 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=[[The Island (Sri Lanka)]]|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"/>

===London===
Balasingham and Pearl lived in a small flat in [[Camberwell]], [[London]].<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 [[pyelonephritis]], chronic [[kidney failure]] which required [[haemodialysis]].<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 [[diabetes]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> The couple later moved into a [[council house]] in the Blenheim Gardens Estate in [[Brixton]], London.<ref name="TI180207"/> Pearl died in November 1976.<ref name="TI180207"/> Her cremated remains were taken back to Sri Lanka and [[interred]] at [[Kanatte Cemetery]] 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 [[Adele Ann Wilby]], 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=[[The Sunday Leader]]|date=10 August 2014}}</ref> Balasingham obtained a [[Master of Arts|M.A.]] degree from the [[South Bank Polytechnic]] after completing a [[dissertation]] on [[Marxism]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He started a [[Doctor of Philosophy|PhD]] 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=[[The Times]]|date=15 December 2006}}</ref>}}

Balasingham's interest in left-wing politics continued in London, getting involved in Marxism and the [[Anti-Apartheid Movement]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He became involved in the [[Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups|Tamil militant]] cause which was active amongst Tamil students in London and was associated with the [[Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="SL100814"/> He was acquainted with leading militants such as [[E. Ratnasabapathy]] and [[K. Pathmanabha]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> He was recruited into the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (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"/>

===LTTE===
Balasingham and Wilby travelled to [[Tamil Nadu]], India frequently where they met LTTE leaders such as [[V. Prabhakaran]] and [[Uma Maheswaran]].<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 [[Black July]] anti-Tamil riots in 1983, he and his wife moved to [[Madras]], 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=[[BBC News]]|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"/>

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 [[Prime Minister of India|Indian Prime Minister]] [[Rajiv Gandhi]] in [[Bangalore]] 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 [[Operation Pawan|war erupted]] between the LTTE and [[Indian Peace Keeping Force]] (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"/>

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 [[Chundikuli]] but instead monitored the talks from another room and exchanged notes with [[S. P. Thamilselvan]] who led the LTTE delegation.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> When the [[Sri Lankan military]] recaptured in the [[Jaffna peninsula]] in 1995/96 the LTTE withdrew to the [[Vanni (Sri Lanka)|Vanni]] and Balasingham and Wilby relocated to [[Thiruvaiyaru, Sri Lanka|Thiruvaiyaru]] near [[Kilinochchi]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/> Later they moved to [[Puthukkudiyiruppu (Mullaitivu)|Puthukkudiyiruppu]].<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>

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 [[prisoners of war]] as a goodwill gesture.<ref name="TT151206"/> Initially [[President of Sri Lanka|President]] [[Chandrika Kumaratunga]] was favourable to granting permission but, after consulting with [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Sri Lanka)|Foreign Minister]] [[Lakshman Kadirgamar]], 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 [[Phuket City|Phuket]] in Thailand.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TT151206"/> Balasingham was taken to hospital in [[Bangkok]] 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 [[Singapore]] and onto London.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/><ref name="TT151206"/> He was allowed to go to [[Oslo]], Norway where he received a [[Kidney transplantation|transplanted kidney]] donated by Donald, a young Sri Lankan Tamil.<ref name="DM101216"/><ref name="SL171206"/>

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 [[Iranaimadu Tank]] via [[Maldives]].<ref name="TT151206"/><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Jeyaraj|first1=D. B. S.|authorlink1=|title=Now to Bangkok|journal=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]|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=[[TamilNet]]|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 [[bile duct cancer]] 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=[[BBC News]]|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=[[BBC News]]|date=23 November 2006}}</ref> 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".<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=[[TamilNet]]|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=[[TamilNet]]|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=[[TamilNet]]|date=14 December 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Situation Report|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/061217/Columns/sitreport.html|work=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|date=17 December 2006}}</ref> Balasingham's funeral was held on 20 December 2006 at [[Alexandra Palace]], 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=[[TamilNet]]|date=20 December 2006}}</ref>

==Further reading==
*{{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=[[India Today]]}}
*{{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=[[Press Trust of India|PTI]]|magazine=[[Outlook India]]}}
*{{Cite magazine|title=He symbolised hope|url=https://frontline.thehindu.com/world-affairs/article30189804.ece|date=12 January 2007|author=B. Muralidhar Reddy|magazine=[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]}}
*{{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=[[Hurst Publishers]]| isbn=9781849046671 }}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://tamilnation.co/hundredtamils/antonbalasingham.htm One Hundred Tamils of the 20th Century, Tamil Nation]
*[https://www.ndtv.com/video/shows/talking-heads/talking-heads-anton-balasingham-aired-july-2006-312369 Talking Heads: Anton Balasingham (Aired: July 2006)]. ''[[NDTV]].''
*{{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=[[IANS]]|website=[[India TV]]}}

{{Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam}}
{{Sri Lankan Civil War}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balasingham, Anton}}
[[Category:1938 births]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of London South Bank University]]
[[Category:Deaths from cancer in England]]
[[Category:English people of Sri Lankan Tamil descent]]
[[Category:Former Roman Catholics]]
[[Category:Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam members]]
[[Category:People from Eastern Province, Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:People of British Ceylon]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan agnostics]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil journalists]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil rebels]]
[[Category:Indian Peace Keeping Force]]
[[Category:Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi]]

Anton Balasingham - Revision history

Bot at 21:54, 14 December 2022