Anton Balasingham passes away

[TamilNet, Thursday, 14 December 2006, 14:11 GMT]
Anton Balasingham, theoretician and political advisor of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), has passed away in London Thursday. Mr. Balasingham has been associated with the Tamil liberation struggle for more than 30 years and participated as chief negotiator on behalf of the Liberation Tigers in almost all political negotiations, beginning with the Thimpu talks in 1985. He was diagnosed with bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma), a rare and aggressive malignancy of the biliary system, in the middle of November.



Mr. Anton Balasingham, 68, passed away at his home in south London where he has been resting since his diagnosis last month, being cared for by his wife Adele and specialist cancer medical staff.

Balasingham had diabetes for 35 years and in the late nineties developed renal disease, for which he underwent kidney transplant.

Three weeks ago, commenting on his illness to TamilNet, Mr Balasingham said that, “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."

Chronology: