Bala Tampoe
Encyclopedia
Bala Tampoe is Sri Lanka
n lawyer and trade unionist. He was the General Secretary
of the Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers Union
(CMU) in Sri Lanka
.
, he was educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
and gained a BSc
degree from the newly established University of Ceylon
in 1943 and the University of London
in 1944. Later he studied law at the Colombo Law College and became a advocate
, practicing criminal law.
The CMU was originally built in 1928 as a white-collar
union in the mercantile sector. After Tampoe became its general secretary in February 1948, the union came under the influence of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
(LSSP), which at the time was part of the Fourth International
. In the 1950s and 1960s, Tampoe was known for his militant challenges to the political decisions of the government of the day. In 1963, he led a strike in the Colombo port
that escalated into an all-island general strike and defied the government of Sirima Bandaranaike
when it invoked its emergency powers.
When the LSSP left the Fourth International to join the Bandaranaike government in 1964, Tampoe became a central leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Revolutionary)
, which the United Secretariat of the Fourth International recognised as its section.
He retains the position of CMU general secretary and participates actively in major negotiations with the government and employers.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n lawyer and trade unionist. He was the General Secretary
General Secretary
The office of general secretary is staffed by the chief officer of:*The General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace...
of the Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers Union
Ceylon Mercantile Union
The Ceylon Mercantile Union is one of the largest trade unions in the commercial sector in Sri Lanka.The Ceylon Mercantile, Industrial and General Workers Union was originally built in 1928 as a white-collar union in the mercantile sector. Victor Corea and A.E...
(CMU) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
Early life and education
Born on May 23, 1922 to a prominent family in JaffnaJaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
, he was educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
Royal College Colombo
The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...
and gained a BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
degree from the newly established University of Ceylon
University of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
in 1943 and the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1944. Later he studied law at the Colombo Law College and became a advocate
Advocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
, practicing criminal law.
Trade union activities
He became a lecturer in Botany and Horticulture in the Department of Agriculture. He came into the limelight after his dismissal from public service, for participating in the strike of public servants in 1947. Soon after he joined the CMU.The CMU was originally built in 1928 as a white-collar
White-collar worker
The term white-collar worker refers to a person who performs professional, managerial, or administrative work, in contrast with a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor...
union in the mercantile sector. After Tampoe became its general secretary in February 1948, the union came under the influence of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party
Lanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
(LSSP), which at the time was part of the Fourth International
Fourth International
The Fourth International is the communist international organisation consisting of followers of Leon Trotsky , with the declared dedicated goal of helping the working class bring about socialism...
. In the 1950s and 1960s, Tampoe was known for his militant challenges to the political decisions of the government of the day. In 1963, he led a strike in the Colombo port
Colombo Harbour
The Colombo Harbour is the largest and busiest port in Sri Lanka. Located in Colombo, on the southwestern shores on the Kelani River, it serves as an important terminal in Asia due to its strategic location in the Indian Ocean...
that escalated into an all-island general strike and defied the government of Sirima Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician and the world's first female head of government...
when it invoked its emergency powers.
When the LSSP left the Fourth International to join the Bandaranaike government in 1964, Tampoe became a central leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Revolutionary)
Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Revolutionary)
Lanka Sama Samaja Party was a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka. LSSP was formed in 1964 when the Lanka Sama Samaja Party was expelled from the Fourth International. LSSP was constituted by the ideological hardliners who opposed LSSP joining the national government and wanted to preserve the...
, which the United Secretariat of the Fourth International recognised as its section.
He retains the position of CMU general secretary and participates actively in major negotiations with the government and employers.
External links
- Historical Photos of Bala Tampoe
- Bala Tampoe interviewed on the War in Sri Lanka YouTube, 21 February 2008