Grammy nominated singer M.I.A. has clashed with the Sri Lankan government after a new interview in which she supports an aid mission to bring supplies to Tamil refugees.
M.I.A. was born in Sri Lanka, where her father a politician. M.I.A.’s father was known for his outspoken views on Tamil culture, at a time when many in the community were fighting to gain independence from Sri Lanka.
Forced to flee the nation, M.I.A. grew up in London but has never forgotten her roots. The singer has regularly caused controversy with her views on Tamil independence, only earlier this year appearing on Tavis Smiley’s PBS talk show to say “being the only Tamil in the Western media, I have a really great opportunity to bring forward what’s going on in Sri Lanka…And there’s a genocide going on.”
The statement led to a furious response from Sri Lankan officials, and now it seems comments on a recent mercy mission have infuriated the government further.
In late March M.I.A. allegedly lent her support to the Mercy Mission To Vanni, a campaign led by British charities to send aid to civilians caught in the fighting. The statement reads in part:
“I just had a baby last month, that’s why I can’t be there today, but I want to give my support and thanks to the launch of the chartered humanitarian ship Mercy Mission launching March 31, 2009.”
“I made it out in the late 80s and so my baby is going to grow up with hospitals, healthcare, food, free education, freedom of speech and religion, a life expectancy of 80-90 years and many of the liberties that we in democratic world take for granted.”
Although there has been no official confirmation that M.I.A. wrote the statement, it is widely thought to reflect her views. However, a report in Sri Lankan newspaper Daily Mirror suggests that the aid mission will be turned away.
“An official from the Navy said that the Navy had been alerted by the authorities of a ship carrying more than 2000 metric tonnes of food for the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) in the guise of aid for civilians, about to sail from Britain. The official, who spoke to the Daily Mirror on condition of anonymity, said that the Navy would open fire on the ship if it came into Sri Lankan waters without obtaining the approval of the Sri Lankan Government.”
