My Conversations with M.I.A. and the Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary

Three weeks ago, I spoke with Oscar and Grammy nominated hip hop artist, M.I.A. about the on-going situation in Sri Lanka. M.I.A. spent much of her youth there as a member of Sri Lanka's minority Tamil population, which she says is the victim of "systematic genocide."

Today, I spoke with Sri Lanka's Foreign Secretary, Dr. Palitha Kohona, who took exception to M.I.A.'s remarks.

This full conversation, including the initial comments made by M.I.A., airs tonight on PBS.

Comments

[Durango]

The American Corporate media have done us a tremendous disservice by NOT covering this conflict.They have collectively decided Americans need know nothing about the rest of the world.

There is no possible excuse for not covering this war. Except abject ignorance on the part of the Corporate Masters.

They talk a good game of Globalization but then ignore the Globe.

I have no clue about the rights or wrongs of this war. What I know is that it is a civil war between two evenly matched opponents. The worst situation that can occur. (see:1861-1865)

I suspect that if the government can defeat the Tamil Tigers it would be a good thing. That any end of the conflict would be an improvement. And a benefit to the civilians, no matter their ethnic group.

I also know it is difficult to muster much sympathy for the Tamil Tigers, the ones who invented suicide bombing.

[jinsei]

Anyone can absolutely read about it if he or she so desires. I've seen articles about the conflict in the last week in the NYT, Economist, Int'l Herald Tribune and 3 different online news sites alone. The real problem is the general public who are too lazy to READ, rather than watch TV news, which has NEVER been a better source of new than papers, or quickly read headlines in their local or national 2-page paper. Support true journalism and READ major newspapers!

[Dukedraven]

I know nothing about the political situation in Sri Lankan. I just know that M.I.A. is a sexy artist, and if I were rich and little younger, I would marry her.

[Feanor]

Get in line.

[AhnAmuru]

Hypocrites!

Before y'all tell the Tamils what to do, first go down south and;

Make it illegal for those uncouth confederates to sing about their fathers' treason, ban their battle flag on penalty of death, destroy their monuments to traitors, and "Cleanse" them of their warmongering treachery to the union.

Yeh, I thought so.

[jinsei]

WTF?!? You don't even make sense!

[AhnAmuru]

Makes sense to anyone capable of introspection.

[onceler]

Yeah, someone should explain to her about romanticizing the culture and spouting off without really knowing all of the complexity involved and all of that. I do really like some of her music too, but it suffers from that poseur thing, ironic that she prominently samples 'the Clash' because they were guilty of the same annoying thing - casting one's self as a well-informed rebel with a plan to fight back, when the reality is that you're an angry kid looking to make $ and vent. Which is fine, but doesn't turn one into a political expert overnight.

But I've also heard her say, numerous times, that's she's just interested in telling the story of the Tamil civilians, who she believes are never really heard from on either side of the conflict. So I'm not sure where people claiming she supports the Tamil Tigers are getting that from, I've never seen such a statement. And yes, they are a terrorist group, they fit the most basic and classic definition thereof - killing innocent people to make a political point or deconstruct a current political reality by undermining it through fear. That's what they do. Not too different from the IRA, and both of them would be (well, the IRA currently is) better off working through negotiations. I'm fine with MIA speaking out, especially if she is really trying to look out for the poor people who are always trampled underfoot in these conflicts of 'tyrannical dictator' vs. 'megalomaniacal, charismatic resistance

[AhnAmuru]

I'm encouraged by Travis' attempt to rehabilitate himself by turning to "international issues", after his Obama debacle.

He vital signs still need to be monitored.

[AhnAmuru]

Sic "His"

[sesshoumaru]

MIA isn't new to politics in her music. Its the foundation of her music from the beginning. Like it or not she is Tamil. She knows first hand what it is to be a Tamil and doesn't need it to be confirmed by people who don't think musicians should stay silent on political matters.

[jinsei]

No, she was born in England and spent a very small part of her childhood in Sri Lanka with her father, so that alone hardly puts her in the position to really understand the conflict. You can't gain insight to of a regional conflict through genetic osmosis any more than you can become a expert in biology by sleeping with a biology book under your pillow. In fact, people who tend to cling to ethnic identities often romanticize a homeland that is not really their home.

[Durango]

But you can learn from your family and friends.

Jeez, give her a break.

[ChiProgressive]

Unfortunately, M.I.A. is a misguided little girl that misses her father and idealized a bloody struggle she vaguely remembers as a child.

The Tamil Tigers are terrorists. They blow themselves up among civilians to spread terror. They are most recently shooting Tamil's trying to escape the war zone.

See u tube for "M.I.A. - Paper Planes by DeLon" for some grew some examples of the Tamil Tiger's handiwork.

[onceler]

pfft, no more misguided than you. she has repeatedly stated that she has no interest in the Tamil Tigers, yet you have to come along and pretend she's a proponent of theirs to make your point. why? because your point is otherwise just that you don't like what she has to say, but don't really understand it. well, have fun with that!

[TJCole]

Well done Tavis; your show tonight brought to light the plight of those poor civilians trapped bewteen both side in the north of Sri Lanka..

Lamont Dozier last night wasn't to shabby either...

[Feanor]

That's like saying the people of Georgia were 'trapped between both sides' during Sherman's March to the Sea...

[onceler]

which would be a true statement, by the way. there were many innocents in the South who never wanted to declare a hopeless and futile war against the rest of the country.

[AGarcia]

Seems like a specious argument to say that "most" of the democracies around the world consider the Tigers "terrorists". Also to say that M.i.A should stay out of politics and just make music or look pretty is demeaning to her and artists in general. Many artists have a rich tradition of politically-tinged music: U2, James Brown, Midnight Oil, etc. have been told to keep out of politics before as well. I, for one, am grateful that she speaks her mind (unlike so many artists these days).

[Feanor]

It's pretty clear that the Tamil minority feels they are being repressed, and there is broad support for the Tigers among the Tamil people. A people doesn't fight for this long for no reason. The government just wants to call the Tigers terrorists, as if that ends the discussion. Well it doesn't end there, and I'm afraid this conflict will not end with what is starting to look like an inevitable government military victory in the next few weeks or months.

[unfiltered]

that was well balanced. seems like the press's coverage in the run-up to the Iraq War.