M.I.A. seeks Winfrey’s help to stop attacks on Sri Lankan Tamils

LONDON - British-born singer M.I.A., real name Mathangi Arulpragasam, has begged US talk show host Oprah Winfrey to help stop the attacks on Sri Lankan Tamils.

The singer, who was born in the UK to Sri Lankan parents, was a child when her father returned to the Asian country to join in the fight for a separate Tamil state there.

The battle between Tamil activists and the Sri Lankan Government has descended into bloody violence, and M.I.A. claims that thousands of civilians are regularly killed in bombing raids.

M.I.A., 31, had met Winfrey at a recent event to honour Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.

Their meeting impressed her so much that she has now taken to her MySpace.com page to ask the media queen for help.

“She (Oprah) squeeeezed my hand so hard, I was convinced she cared. Michelle Obama gave a speech and there was mad secret service in the air so I didn’t get to throw a paper plane at her saying ’stop the bombing of the Tamils in Sri Lanka’,” the Daily Star quoted her as writing.

“I wasn’t sure about my influence but……..if I do have any influence, I wish I could get the media to spotlight this… Oprah can you do something bout these camps pleeeeeeeeeease?” she added. (ANI)