Malawian Government Harshly Criticizes Madonna

[Time]

(BLANTYRE, Malawi) — Malawi's government issued an angry attack on the pop diva Madonna on Wednesday, alleging that she expected to be granted VIP treatment during her controversial tour to this southern African country last week. A strongly worded statement issued by the president's office accused Madonna of using her fame and money to press Malawi to give her VIP treatment. "Granted, Madonna is a famed international musician. But that does not impose an injunction of obligation on any government under whose territory Madonna finds herself, including Malawi, to give her state treatment. Such treatment, even if she deserved it, is discretionary not obligatory," said the statement, apparently referring to the singer's annoyance at being stripped of her VIP status on departure from Malawi last Saturday. Madonna, who has had VIP treatment during her previous visits — including when she jetted into the country on April 1 — was apparently surprised when she and her travelling party had to line up with ordinary passengers and be frisked by airport security. "There was a directive that Miss Louise Ciccone, travelling on an American passport, and her children Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon, Rocco Ritchie, Mercy James, David Banda Ciccone Ritchie should use the ordinary passenger terminal on their way to their jet," said an aviation official who refused to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media. President Joyce Banda was reportedly angered by Madonna's claims that she has built 10 schools in Malawi. "Where are the 10 schools she has built? She is just building school blocks at already existing schools. In some cases she just renovated an already existing block. This is an insult to the people of Malawi. She can't be lying to the world at our expense," said an angry Banda last week, in widely quoted remarks. (PHOTOS: Meet Moses, the Baby Elephant Raised by Humans) The Wednesday statement also questioned Madonna's true intentions in her humanitarian efforts in Malawi, alleging that the singer "wants Malawi to be forever chained to the obligation of gratitude." "Kindness, as

Via: TIME GlobalSpin