Armand de Souza

Armand de Souza (29 October 1874 – 1921) was a Ceylonese newspaper editor and democratic activist.

De Souza was born in Assagaum, Goa, to an ancient Roman Catholic family belonging to the Saraswat Brahman community. He was the tenth descendant of Roulu Camotin who had converted to Catholicism at the point of the sword in 1537, changing his name to Diego de Souza at his baptism. Armand de Souza was the son of a famous advocate, Antonio Narcisso Vasconcellos de Souza, himself the son of a famous advocate and Latin scholar, Antonio José de Souza. Orphaned at a young age, he was left in the care of an aged grandmother who arranged that the boy's uncle, Dr Lisboa Pinto, should adopt him. Dr Lisboa Pinto, the Honorary Consul of the United States in the Colony of Ceylon, enrolled the fifteen-year-old de Souza at the Royal College Colombo. Principal John Harward of Royal College encouraged de Souza's passion for history and English literature. De Souza cut his editorial teeth as the editor of the Royal College Magazine. At school he was known for his writing and oratory. De Souza was expected to be called to the Bar in the family tradition, but he fell out with his uncle and made his own way in life.

De Souza received his journalistic training at The Times of Ceylon where he was a highly valued member during his eight years of service. He moved to the Standard because he disagreed with the editor of the Times of Ceylon, Mr Roles, on public issues. He founded the Morning Leader in July 1907, but as he was only thirty-three years old he took on the role of Chief Reporter and Sub-Editor, leaving the Chief Editor's position to Mr. J. T. Blazé. However the proprietors soon insisted that De Souza should take over, replacing Mr Blazé's gentler prose with his forceful rhetoric. Over five years "he brought about a renaissance among the different communities in regards to matters social, political and intellectual. He was greatly responsible for the national awakening among the different classes and communities of the permanent population of the island…..to a very large extent to the awakening of the Singhalese in particular". Through editorial advocacy for constitutional reform he secured for the people of Ceylon the right to elect four members, including one 'Educated Ceylonese Member' to the Legislative Council that had from its inception on 22 May 1834 to 15 November 1911 consisted merely of official and appointed members. He then fought for the election of all unofficial members according to constituencies and for an unofficial majority in the Legislative Council. He was opposed to racial representation in the Legislative Council and to the representation of the two major races respectively by two families over several generations.

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