Mia Farrow continues to make headlines as she follows her dream in Darfur.
The actress is in the war-torn region working with the U.S.-based advocacy group Dream for Darfur, but a few days ago her work was eclipsed by an incident that took place in Cambodia.
The actress traveled to Cambodia as part of a seven-nation tour of countries that have suffered genocide to call attention to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. While there Cambodian police blocked Farrow from holding a genocide memorial ceremony at a local prison. According to news reports, at one point Woody Allen’s ex was forcefully pushed away from a barricade.
In a news conference following the incident Farrow told reporters that she was unhurt and knew she was fighting an uphill battle when Cambodian officials barred the ceremony and police sealed off all roads leading to the prison, which is now a genocide museum.
Once Farrow and seven other activists arrived at the barricades, about 170 yards from the museum’s gate, they reportedly refused to go away, and instead linked their arms in a human chain. The actress was also photographed holding a bunch of white lotus flowers, a traditional offering for the dead.
In explaining to reporters why she brought the blossoms to the prison Farrow said they were to honor the individuals who perished in Cambodia and in Darfur and “in all genocides everywhere.”
After police pushed Farrow and the other members of her group she says they returned to a waiting van and drove off. Farrow says she had planned to light an Olympic-style torch outside the former prison to send a message to China – the next Olympic host and one of Sudan’s major trading partners – to press the Sudanese government to end abuses in Darfur, but once police “turned violent” the actress says her concern for safety prevented her from doing so.
What do you make of Farrow’s humanitarian efforts?