Singer speaks out against Sri Lanka travel recommendation
15/01/2010
Female singer MIA has condemned the New York Times for recommending Sri Lanka as one of 2010's top travel hotspots, as the country faces political uncertainty amid its current elections.
The artist posted the criticisms on microblogging site Twitter, uploading photographs of impoverished, war-torn areas to contrast with the newspaper's idyllic images.
She used the video for her new song 'Space Odyssey' as testimony to her claim that the country is not fit to be recommended as a tourist haven.
"Here is the lush coastline they are talking about," the singer stated, presenting the photographs.
Her publicist told Fader magazine that the video cost just US$100 to put together.
MIA, whose real name is Mathangi Arulpragasam, is of Tamil origin and comments upon developments in her native country on a regular basis through social networking sites and blogs.
Earlier this week, Reuters reported that violence related to the Sri Lanka elections resulted in the death of one person in current president Mahinda Rajapaksa's home town on Tuesday January 11th.
Written by John Curtis
