Remember the calamitous end to Sri Lanka’s 26-year-long civil war back in May? Some 16,700 non-combatants were wounded and several thousand more were killed during the final onslaught. Fighting between the 150,000-strong Sri Lankan Army (SLA) and the 7,000-strong Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) armed forces resulted in 300,000 displaced minority Tamils.
Although both sides committed mass atrocities, recent video footage of apparent executions (warning: this video contains graphic images) of 9 Tamil POWs supports widespread allegations of war crimes by the SLA.
But the international community, most notably the UN Security Council, remains idle while it should be launching a commission of inquiry.
Artists Joan Ryan, Lin Piwowarczyk, MD, and Elizabeth Hathaway at the show opening, Atlantic Works Gallery, East Boston (Sarah Kalloch/PHR)
The “Make Believe” exhibit is totally amazing. I urge all PHR supporters, and their friends and family, to visit the Atlantic Works Gallery in East Boston on September 17 for their “Third Thursday event” so you can see what all the buzz is about.
“Make Believe” opened this past Saturday with a wine and cheese reception. More than a hundred people — artists, activists, doctors, public health professionals, teachers, couples on dates, even Sam Yoon (candidate for Mayor of Boston) milled about the gallery. Everyone was there to check out the works of artists Elizabeth Hathaway and Joan Ryan, and photographs from Sudan and Chad taken during PHR investigations by Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Michael Wadleigh and PHR’s own Lin Piwowarczyk — an amazing activist/artist/doc who came to the opening to discuss her work.
"Make Believe Exhibit" visitors view the artists' works (Sarah Kalloch/PHR)
The art is intense and moving. The best thing about “Make Believe”: the artists are generously donating 30% of the profits from any works sold to PHR, while helping us raise awarenss of sexual violence in Darfur, detainee abuse by US forces and human rights in Afghanistan — all themes of art work in the show.
The Gallery, located at 80 Border Street in East Boston, is open every Friday and Saturday from 2 pm-6pm if you want to visit then (the show ends September 30th). The special “Third Thursday” reception starts at 6 pm on September 17; PHR staff will be there, and we’d love to see you!
