Latin star urges war on child sex tourism
Pop star Ricky Martin urged world governments to declare war on tourists who sexually exploit children around the world.
“This is war. This is a battle we need to win,” Martin said at a luncheon in New York attended by UN ambassadors and activists trying to end the practice. “This one is worth it. … We’re talking about the lives of children.”
“We have the voice. But we don’t have the power. We cannot do it alone. … We need you. This is slavery, and this is the year 2004,” he said.
The singer started the Ricky Martin Foundation about 10 years ago to help children in need and recently initiated the People for Children Project as one of its efforts to try to end child sex tourism and other illegal practices.
Martin has taken up a cause championed by US president George Bush, who in his speech to the UN General Assembly in September 2003 called for a global campaign to fight the trafficking and sexual abuse of children.
Several journalists and representatives of non-governmental organisations questioned the timing of Martin’s appearance – less than two weeks before the US presidential election where the Latin vote is key in hotly-contested states, especially Florida.
The singer denied his appearance had any link to the US presidential campaign.
