Spinner

M.I.A. Lashes Out, Via Twitter, at NY Times

M.I.A.On Monday, the same day that the media widely reported that M.I.A.'s upcoming album would be her most "honest," the 34-year-old rapper took to Twitter to tell her fans how she really feels... about the New York Times. A Sri Lankan refugee with personal experience of that country's horrifying civil war, M.I.A. took offense at an article that ran in the New York Times listing Sri Lanka as the number one (out of 31) place to visit this year.

After giving the publication a verbal middle finger, via Twitter, M.I.A. asked, "Do you think you need to go here on vacation?" with a graphic photo from Sri Lanka attached that would make anybody wince. She tweeted several additional, brutal images of war casualties, one of which came with the caption, "Here is the lush coastline they are talking about." The photo is not for the faint of heart.

Although she was born in England, M.I.A.'s family moved back to their native Sri Lanka shortly after her birth. She has always been outspoken about her homeland's bloody civil war and has often used her music as an outlet for her rage against the violence and injustice that came with it.

In a candid interview with Spinner last year, M.I.A. said, "When I left Sri Lanka, the town got deleted." It's easy to understand why she might take issue with the travel advice, then.

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HumanFrailty

Is living in the past your only objective, Ananth? I could go into how overwrought and convoluted Tamil projection of Sri Lankan history is but I can't be bothered.

January 13 2010 at 11:47 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Subas

Hello Saman,
every words,you use for the comments saw your racist mind.
Thankyou verymuch.

January 13 2010 at 4:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tia

Go ask your family why there are people living off camps now and dude, seriously, I was there. Did I say Sri Lankan govt was being good?

I said instead of acting like a 5 year old, think of the future. That's all there is. Shut up and go help them.

January 13 2010 at 12:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
soorya

Well done M.I.A! A courageous young Tamil never getting tired to tell the world what is happening in Sri Lanka. The world media knows that she is telling the truth.

January 13 2010 at 12:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sri-lanka hell

Tia, it does not matter whether you are Tamil or Sinhalese but when you talk lie check the facts first. It is ridiculous to say that Tamils are happy in the camps. Who are you kidding here. I have familes from Kilinochi still in the camps, go and tell them to be happy and they will give you a slap. People like you and your government want the world to believe that you are being good to Tamils while mass murdering them.
For your information, people are not being settled in Kilinochi yet, so if you decide to fool people by lying, check the fact first other wise you will become a fool. Are you sure you did not talk to the Sinhalese Military men in Kilinochi and thinking they are Tamils.
The Sri-Lankan leaders should be tried for war crime and sent to prison for ever for what they have done to Tamils.

January 13 2010 at 11:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Sri-lanka hell's comment
HumanFrailty

Okay, I'll amuse you.. Ananth... I love seeing you pop up everywhere talking about how inhuman Sri Lankans are.

There have been only 4 riots against Tamils - 1956, 1958, 1977, 1984. There was no violence against Tamils from 1958 to 1977. 1977 was when Tamil militancy rose.. See a connection there, buddy? Want to shout a lot of emotion without fact at me?

Discrimination.. a point of contention? 1961 Sinhala Only put into effect.. Tamil provided in 1966. Sinhala Only put back in 1971. Tamil made a national language in 1977.

There's also standardization.. This only began in 1971 and was taken out in 1977. What other discrimination was still affecting Tamil people in 1977 requiring them to launch a military offensive?

January 13 2010 at 11:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
danu

where is the peaceful??where is the human rights in sri lanka?? wight van,rap,media attack,journalist killing, totally red alert country in this world.
war criminal.
just sawing world to nothing happen to Tamils or people but inside the island totally human rights misuse.
sri lanka state number one acting country.
make the war criminal war and arrest country leader and army cheif.


January 13 2010 at 7:54 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
danu

Killer sri lanka state terrorist killed 120000 tamils so as M.I.A also tamils she have that feeling and pain.
well said M.I.A
ban state terrorist around world.

January 13 2010 at 7:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to danu's comment
Saman Piyaratna

jegaa - what world are you living in? It is the LTTE that is banned worldwide as a terrorist organization. Sri lanka has been congratulated by the UN Human Rights COmmission for freeing the country from LTTE terrorists. Consider self immolating :)

January 13 2010 at 4:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
danu

great article M.I.A about sri lanka state terrorist.

January 13 2010 at 7:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sujay

Sri Lankan genocide might be over but the support for Tamil Eelam and need for Tamil freedom is now well known after Sri Lanka killed 30,000 people over 2 weeks!

Tamil Tigers were nobody else but the same Tamil youth. My borthers, sisters , class mates and batch mates! So they are just out come and when they only attacked the Nazi Sri Lankan army. Their tactics might be questioned but the truth is their is noway Tamils can fight with Sri Lanka because Sri Lankan government itself a terrorist government.

I myself witnessed when they throw barrel bombs which can bio-chemical substances inside from a cargo plane in Northern Tamil Eelam in 90s . I have seen it with my eyes!
So people should know soon Tamil Eelam will rise with the whole support of Tamils in Sri Lanka and Tamil Diaspora.

Hats off to M.I.A who is not only an artist but also a voice of Tamils who are supressed by Sri Lankan governement!

LET'S UNITE FOR HUMANITY! LET'S UNITE AND VOICE FOR VOICELESS TAMILS WHO ARE BEING KILLED ,RAPED AND JAILED BY SRI LANKAN BLOOD THIRSTY ARMY WHO ARE THE REAL TERRORISTS!

Please also note that all the Singhala people write here represent how agressive they are in supressing a Tamil voice!

January 13 2010 at 7:08 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Sujay's comment
HumanFrailty

I wonder who's being aggressive. The person shouting "genocide", "war crime", etc. or the person saying "leave us alone". I only see dozens of Tamils flooding this board with whiny rants and calling anyone who disagrees propagandists and liars. Show me where in your post you engage in constructive criticism of your opponent's point.. Emotional shouting is not proper debate.

War involves bombing locations of armed rebel groups. You understand that right? What the hell does you seeing barrel bombs being dropped prove anything?

Yeah, Tamil Eelam will surely rise now. Keep living in cuckoo land. Despite how much you whine from London or Toronto there is nothing either the EU or the UN can do about Sri Lanka. The International Court can only try those who signed the Rome Statue and Sri Lanka didn't.

January 13 2010 at 11:45 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ashley

I am an American expat living in Sri Lanka. I see a lot of hate here ... Sinhalese mistrusting Tamils, and Tamils mistrusting Sinhalese - (just read the nasty inappropriate things they write about and to one another in website comments). However, I also see wealthy and upper middle class Sinhalese and Tamils living together in harmony. Sri Lanka has been hurt by the Tamil LTTE but also by the Sinhalese JVP. I think it is socioeconomics and not race that is the real culprit here. Somehow race was dragged into the mix by divisive politicians/leaders on both sides and unfortunately this created a mutual dislike among these 2 races.

January 13 2010 at 3:43 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to Ashley's comment
Ananth

I think you need to learn more about the history of the country that you are staying at. JVP came existence in the last 40 years. LTTE came into exsitence in the last 30 years. Long before the LTTE the Tamils were simply butchered by the Sri Lankan government and the racist Sinhalese + JVP for asking for equal rights. When the Tamils could't take it anymore the Tamil youths rised up and took arms to defend the Tamil people eventually forming the LTTE which would be one of the worlds most sophisticated and disciplined rebel army. Tamils were fighting for equal rights and now fighting for the right to be free from an oppressive government, not for wealth. Ignoring the history and just talking about the recent phase of the conflict will not help. Stop thinking like american, and put yourself in the shoes of the Tamils.

January 13 2010 at 10:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mimo

You have mentioned wealthy Sinhalese and Tamils getting along. The Srilankan entity is engaged in terrorist activities long before LTTE came into the scene. Srilanka is blessed with one of the most violent buddist monks in the world who is also responsible for the violence against tamils in 1983. Please note some of the wealthy Sinhalese also had a hand in the looting and burning and murdering tamils in 1083

January 15 2010 at 11:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply