34 Facts About Anton Balasingham

Anton Balasingham Stanislaus 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.

Anton Balasingham's 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.

Anton Balasingham was educated at Sacred Heart College, Karaveddy and Nelliady Central College.

Anton Balasingham was raised a Roman Catholic, the religion of his mother, but as he grew up he became a rationalist and agnostic.

Anton Balasingham was attracted to leftist politics which had strong support in the Karaveddy area.

Anton Balasingham was an acquaintance of S Sivagnanasundaram, editor of the Sirithiran magazine and cartoonist of the Savari Thambar cartoon strip.

Anton Balasingham lived at a chummery in Grandpass, close to the Virakesari's offices, and spent much of his free time reading.

Anton Balasingham became interested in philosophy and psychology and occasionally practised hypnotism.

Anton Balasingham then got a job as a translator at the British High Commission in Colombo.

Anton Balasingham 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.

Anton Balasingham enrolled at the Institute of Psychotherapy and worked at the Inner London Executive Council.

Anton Balasingham had to work, study and care for his sick wife.

Anton Balasingham's cremated remains were taken back to Sri Lanka and interred at Kanatte Cemetery following a memorial service at Kollupitiya Methodist Church.

Anton Balasingham started a PhD course under John Taylor but didn't complete his studies.

Anton Balasingham 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.

Anton Balasingham was acquainted with leading militants such as E Ratnasabapathy and K Pathmanabha.

Anton Balasingham wrote leaflets and pamphlets in English and Tamil and carried out translation for the LTTE.

When Prabhakaran and Maheswaran split, Anton Balasingham tried to reconcile the two but after having failed, sided with Prabhakaran.

Anton 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.

Sri Lankan intelligence tried to assassinate Anton Balasingham by planting a bomb in his house.

Anton 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 Anton Balasingham remained in Madras to oversee political work but later he and Wilby moved to Jaffna.

Anton Balasingham returned to Sri Lanka in 1990 to lead the LTTE delegation in the peace talks in Colombo.

Anton Balasingham wrote numerous articles including those under the pseudonym "Brahma Gnani" in the Velicham.

The LTTE sought Sri Lankan government permission on humanitarian grounds to allow Anton Balasingham to fly abroad via Colombo for medical treatment.

Anton 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".

Anton Balasingham was taken to hospital in Bangkok where it was discovered that he had an enlarged kidney which needed to be removed.

Anton Balasingham was allowed to go to Oslo, Norway where he received a transplanted kidney donated by Donald, a young Sri Lankan Tamil.

Anton Balasingham led the LTTE's discussions with the Norwegian government which resulted in the ceasefire which came into force on 23 February 2002.

Anton Balasingham returned to Sri Lanka on 25 March 2002, arriving by seaplane at Iranaimadu Tank via Maldives.

Anton Balasingham was at Prabhakaran's side when the LTTE leader met various Sri Lankan politicians.

Anton 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.

Anton Balasingham died on 14 December 2006 at his home in South London.

Anton Balasingham's funeral was held on 20 December 2006 at Alexandra Palace, London with a parallel service in the Vanni region.