A Memorial Meeting For Bala Tampoe; A Veteran Sri Lankan Trade Unionist, Marxist Politician And Human Rights Defender/Lawyer
A memorial meeting for Bala Tampoe, organised by friends of Late Tampoe in the United Kingdom is scheduled to be held on May 23, 2015 which falls on the 93rd Birth Day of Bala. The venue of the meeting is STUDENT CENTRAL (ULU), MALET STREET, LONDON WC 1E 7HY – ROOM NO: 3E, THIRD FLOOR. The meeting will commence at 06.00 p.m.
Bala Tampoe
Speakers at the meeting among others will include Nathan Sivasambo (Academic and long-time associate of Bala), Sylvester Jayakody (Present General Secretary, Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers Union – CMU), P. Rasayanagam ( Editor, Tamil Times, former active member of CMU and LSSP (R) and close associate of Bala Tampoe), Prins Gunaseker a (Former Member of Parliament, Sri Lanka), Nirmala Rajasingam (South Asia Solidarity Group), and Mohamed Marzook (Former Member of the Executive Committee, CMU).
Further information about the meeting can be obtained from –
Nathan Sivasambo – Chief Convenor – 020 7278 5232:
Senaka Weeraman – 07830 305 975:: Victor Cherubim – 07958522888
Marzook – 07940576701
ALL ARE WELCOME
peter casie chetty / May 18, 2015
To me this man is an icon and worth much more than the Bandaranaikes, Senanayakes and all the rubbish aristocrats who were the privileged people. He was more educated and a real humanitarian.
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Plato. / May 18, 2015
Bala Tampoe remained a true Marxist RIGHT to the end,without compromising his LEFT ideology.
Great Man.
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maali karunaratne / May 18, 2015
He really fought for worker’s rights unlike the politicians who walk the streets on May day and then forget about them. If my info is correct, he was instrumental in passing the Shop and Office Employees Act. This Act gives lot of rights to the workers
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dcn / May 18, 2015
Bala Tampoe was a great human being. He was a honestTrade Unionist true to his convictions. He was a great lawyer who fought to get the original JVPers released in 1971/72. He was the first trade unionist to have successfully negotiated with the employers in the mercantile sector for introduction of compensation based on the increase of the cost living index, fsr back as 1967 – 50 years ago.
Though he was a Tamil he spoke Sinhala better than Sinhalese and the members of the CMU fondly referred to him as Bala Sahodaraya. The working class was fortunate to have had a leader in the working class movement but unfortunately we missed him in the parliament as a member of parliament.
The working class will allways miss him. May his soul rest in peace.
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Pygmalion / May 20, 2015
I wonder how many of those who work in the banking sector know that their working conditions were as a result of Comrade Bala Tampoes continuous Trade Union action!
Comrade Bala could have easily led a life of effluence,considering his background.But he chose otherwise.
Where the hell is that chap VASU?
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Native Vedda / May 21, 2015
Pygmalion
“Where the hell is that chap VASU?”
VASU who?
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MOHAMED MARZOOK / May 21, 2015
Bala was the first in taking-up, through the Ceylon Mercantile Union, the demand for payment of the CLA according to the increasing Cost of Living Index, next the CMU took it-up for the Port Workers and won it. Then Bala appeared for the Bank Employees Union before the LB De Silva Commission on the same demand and the Bank Employees won it. Following this the Govt. Clerical Service Union demanded it and again the L.B. De Silva Commission recommended it for them.
Bala was the first to initiate the ever human rights organisation in Sri Lanka forming the Human and Democratic Rights Organisation (HADRO), a joint body consisting of the CMU, Democratic Wrokers Congress, Bank Employees Union, Estate Staff Union, etc. to campaign against the several un-democratic and in-human laws enacted by the then SLFP led United Front Govt., consisting of the Communist Party and the Lanka Samasaja Party, in the wake of the 1971 JVP uprising.
Another first of Bala’s initiative was the setting-up Womens’ Liberation Groups among female members of the CMU who campaigned for womens’ rights in their work places.
Bala visited several foreign countries, including the USA, campaigning against the Vietnam war.
Bala was courageous, principled, honest, committed to what he preached and lived according to what he preached.
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MOHAMED MARZOOK / May 21, 2015
He is the only Trade Unionist who refused to accept Presidential Awards given by both past Presidents CBK and MR saying that he wish to be honoured only by the working class.
WHY NOT WE ALL GATHER AT THE MEMORIAL MEETING TO HONOUR SUCH A GREAT MAN
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Pygmalion / May 21, 2015
Native.
You know who.
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