Intriguing

M.I.A.'s Politics Misguided?

Singer’s claims about Sri Lanka rankle some.

In an interview with The Daily Beast, the singer and songwriter M.I.A. alleged that “right now in Sri Lanka there’s a genocide going on.” However, according to The New York Times, “[M.I.A.’s] political views rankle some people at a time when most Sri Lankans are clutching to the hope that the rebels, branded by the United States and European nations as a terrorist group, are on the verge of military defeat by government troops.” According to one Sinhalese songwriter, “Frankly, she’s very lucky to get away with supporting, even indirectly, perhaps the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world.” The Times also adds that “M.I.A.’s claims that the government is carrying out a genocide against Tamils place her on the outer fringe of opinion about the conflict.” The Times writes “human rights organizations spread the blame around, estimating that 70,000 people on both sides have been killed in the fighting.”