LTTE leader's condolence message on the demise of Anton Balasingham

[TamilNet, Friday, 15 December 2006, 07:08 GMT]
LTTE leader Velupillai Pirapaharan, bestowing the title of honour, Voice of the Nation, as a recognition for Anton Balasingham's service for the Tamil freedom movement, said: "There is a permanent place for Bala annai in the development and growth of our expanding movement. As elder statesman, as ideologue, as philosopher, above all as my intimate friend, he gave me inspiration and encouragement; gave advice and support. He shared my feelings and my burden. From the very inception of our movement he shared with me burdens of all the trials, tribulations, challenges and difficulties. He stood as the protagonist in the forefront of our political and diplomatic maneuvers."




TamilNet's translation of LTTE leader V. Pirapaharan's condolence message follows:

"The light of our nation that was my supportive strength in the political, diplomatic demarche of our independent movement is extinguished. Bala annai is now not with me to run for advice and comfort. His demise is not only a loss for me but a great irreplaceable loss for the nation of Tamileelam.

"Individual human existence begins from the moment of our birth and ends with the moment of our last breath. The destiny of human experience is made unique by the vicissitudes of life and its varied duration. This fleeting life is finite for all, brief for some, long for others, and unduly long for yet others. Unfortunately, Bala annai's life was ended before its time. His death comes at a moment when his services were needed the most to our intensifying liberation struggle. I find Bala annai's death unbearable to accept. It is a sadness weighing heavily on my soul. It is crushing everything inside me and is breaking my heart. I find it impossible to pour out in words the flood of emotion rushing like a torrential, violent river. Here, there is no role for human language.

"From the first day of our acquaintance there was an inexplicable understanding between us. United by a bond born of this understanding, our relationship morphed into a great friendship. It bloomed into a confluence of persons who were united in words and action. It grew in strength from sharing in our day to day life's involvement. It is totally different from ordinary persons' relationship. It was a platonic relationship par excellence, that was shaped by history and matured with time.

"I loved Bala annai deeply. He was an eldest son and senior statesman in our noble family of independent movement for three decades. I, too looked upon him thus. In the days when we lived together as one family with a single purpose I discovered that he was no ordinary person. Even when he was extremely ill fighting against imminent death daily, and suffering from unbearable pain, he had a strong resoluteness. This courage of conviction in him touched my heart. When he was in tribulation my soul was tormented.

"There is a permanent place for Bala annai in the development and growth of our expanding movement. As elder statesman, as ideologue, as philosopher, above all as my intimate friend, he gave me inspiration and encouragement; gave advice and support. He shared my feelings and my burden. From the very inception of our movement he shared with me burdens of all the trials, tribulations, challenges and difficulties. He stood as the protagonist in the forefront of our political and diplomatic maneuvers.

"I am proud to bestow on Bala annai the title of great honor, Voice of the Nation, as a recognition for his immense service to our movement by his superb performance in political and diplomatic spheres, thus establishing our independent struggle in the international arena in a manner that Eelam Tamils are proud of. Bala annai has, in truth, not departed from us. He will remain in our stream of consciousness as an enduring memory, forever."

"Tamileelam homeland, is Tigers passion."

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