Oprah Give Us A Voice

Dear Oprah:


There are five students walking to Harpo Studios in Chicago in an effort to get an audience with you. They set out their journey from Toronto on March 4 2009 and will reach their destination shortly after travelling over 1000 km. They wish to raise awareness of the bloodbath unfolding in Sri Lanka. The students only desire is an immediate halt to the killings of civilians in Sri Lanka and an emergence of international witnesses in Sri Lanka. Since January, more than 4,500 civilians are believed to have died in the fighting, according to UN estimates. The students believe that you, Oprah, can make a difference. You are an influential icon who is known for your humanitarian efforts around the globe.

In signing the following petition we agree that:
1) There has to be an immediate halt to the ongoing bloodbath currently taking place in Sri Lanka;
2) Humanitarian aid and international attention is needed urgently in Sri Lanka; and
3) You, Oprah, would be one of the few people who could bring the urgent and world-wide attention needed to stop the bloodbath.

In the last few days, many across the world have shown a growing concern for the civilians caught in the bloodbath in Sri Lanka.

"The Sri Lankan government needs to hear loudly and clearly from a concerted international community that they, just as the Tamil Tigers, will be held accountable for what happens to the civilians in the no-fire zone. It is high time for the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka to be officially taken up on the Security Council's agenda."
- Brad Adams, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, April 20, 2009

"We are very worried that the final offensive in the area by government forces against LTTE fighters could lead to a further dramatic increase in the number of civilian casualties."
- ICRC's director of operations, Pierre Krдhenbьhl, in Geneva on 21 April

"No one will be the first to stand up for the Tamils. My biggest fear is that when it's all over, if the Sri Lankans kill thousands more, we'll all say: 'Oh dear, many more have died than we suspected.'"
- UK MP Siobhain McDonagh, April 21, 2009

We share the same concern as the above-mentioned people and hope that you listen to our plea and the pleas of others like yourself who are the only beacons of hope to the people caught in this conflict.

Sincerely,