Celebrities Join the Fight to Stop Rape as a Weapon of War
Angelina Jolie, the famous Hollywood actress, is engaged in a campaign to end sexual violence during conflict. As always when celebrities become involved in such a campaign, they are being exploited by interested Governments and individuals.
Ms. Jolie has recently attended a 140-nation conference in London highlighting ” RAPE in conflict zones. Even though Sri Lanka was not on the official agenda of the Conference, Ms Jolie was eager to meet Sri Lankan victims of rape. Ms. Nimalka Fernando (a Colombo based lawyer) also at the meeting and arranged some victims from Sri Lanka to Ms. Jolie. Nilmaka Fernando ONLY took Sinhalese military officers widows as victims to meet Ms. Jolie. Nilmaka Fernando did not take even a single Tamil woman who was a victim of sexual abuse and rape by Sri Lankan Security forces.
By arranging only Sinhalese military widows to meet Ms. Jolie, Ms. Nilmaka Fernando is suggesting that rape was used by both sides in the war. It was not. It was used only by the Sri Lankan military.
By making this suggestion, that rape as a military tactic was practiced by both sides, Ms. Fernando is working against Tamils.
It is also noteworthy that Nimalka Fernando has worked with few diaspora Tamils.
Thank you,
Tamils for Obama