Sunday, August 29, 2010

Tjenbé Rèd defends its position on Stop Murder Music and Sizzla following damning French article


Release n°TR10INT11D


Sirs,


In accordance with Article 13 of the French Law of 29 July 1881 on press freedom,

we are asking you to publish the attached right of reply without delay.


In fact, in an article dated 18 August 2010, headed «GayLobby Has Concert Cancelled», you maintain the following statements in particular.


«In their crusade against Jamaican artists who have performed homophobic lyrics, the gay lobby has just won a new victory. The Sizzla concert, which was scheduled for Saturday evening at the Palavas arena, has just been cancelled by the organisers. While the artist did sing «kill the queers, my big gun gonna shoot» in 2001, he subsequently committed himself in 2007, in writing, like other artists of the Caribbean island it had its eyes on, never again to sing this type of sulphurous and totally unacceptable lyric during their tours. And, as far as we know, Sizzla has never been found in breach of this.


Gay and Lesbian groups had already had one of his concerts cancelled last November in Victoire 2 concert hall, supposing - without real proof - that he was not sticking to his commitments. The Tjenbé Rèd association, which was not contactable yesterday, had been calling for pressure on the local authority of Palavas not to host the singer. At the same time, it has drawn up a

blacklist of about a dozen singers, against whom it has done all it can to get their gigs cancelled.»


It seems to us we need to pick up on some inexactitudes.


1. The aim of the international Stop Murder Music (SMM) campaign, for which Tjenbé Rèd is a French coordinator, is not to cancel concerts, but to lead certain singers of Reggae Dancehall to cease their calls for murder and to sign and respect the Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA).


2. There is no proof that the Sizzla concert scheduled for 21 August had been cancelled because of the press release published on the 5th by several human rights organisations. Had the ticket sales of this concert gone as successfully as expected? Already in 2008, Sizzla’s people had accused the SMM campaign of being responsible for the cancellation of several concerts, when in fact the singer had been more banally refused entry at the frontier because of a problem with his visa!


3. Sizzla’s violations of the RCA are comprehensively documented, contrary to what you have indicated, surprisingly rehashing some propaganda from those concerned.

Sincerely,

For Tjenbé Rèd (Afro-Caribbean association for the struggle against all forms of homophobia, racism and AIDS)

Chair,

David AUERBACH CHIFFRIN

06 96 05 24 55 (West Indies)

06 10 55 63 60 (France)

+596 6 96 05 24 55 (international call to French West Indies)

+33 6 10 55 63 60 (international call to France Mainland)

Fax: 01 76 50 59 79

contact@tjenbered.fr


[1] 18 août 2010 - Midi libre - Les lobbies gays font annuler le concert

http://www.midilibre.com/articles/2010/08/18/MONTPELLIER-Les-lobbies-gays-font-annuler-le-concert-1349680.php5

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100818-99.pdf


[2] 31 décembre 2004 - OutRage! - Stop Murder Music: Dancehall Dossier

http://www.petertatchell.net/popmusic/Dancehall-Dossier-FINAL.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2004/20041231-99.pdf [en]


[3B] 19 August 2010 - Stop Murder Music Campaign: Concert by homophobic singer Sizzla cancelled - Joint press release from Tjenbé Rèd, OutRage! and Couleurs gaies (Metz LGBT Centre) - Press release No. TR10INT11B

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100819-09.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100819-00.pdf [fr]


[3A] 5 August 2010 - Stop Murder Music Campain - Sizzla in France: «Shoot queers»?! (Signatories send out an alert to human rights organisations in Languedoc-Roussillon) - Joint press release from OutRage! (London), Tjenbé Rèd, Girofard (Bordeaux LGBT Centre), Couleurs gaies (Metz LGBT Centre) - Press release No. TR10INT11

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100805-09.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100805-00.pdf [fr]


[4C] 13 May 2008 - Open letter to the mayors and those in charge of the concert halls to be visited by Sizzla during his French Tour - Press release No. TR08POL04B


http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080513-05.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080513-01.pdf [fr]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080513-01.html [fr]

[6] List of RCA violations by Sizzla in Europe and Jamaica

Sizzla Kalonji (the stage name of Miguel Collins) has repeatedly violated the Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA) which he is said to have signed on 15 April 2007, but which he denies.

A) On 11 May 2007, the VP Records label distributed via its website a compilation called «Bill Back», produced by E.21st Production, including an extremely violent song by Sizzla, «Head Out».

http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall/d_history_2007.htm

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20081218-59.pdf


B) On 13 June 2007 in Berlin (Germany), 17 or 18 June 2007 in Paris (France), 20 June 2007 in Milan (Italy), 22 June 2007 at Bari-Modugno (Italy), 30 June 2007 in Zurich (Switzerland) and 3 July 2007 at Bordeaux (France), Sizzla performed his «Nah Apologize» piece, which he himself calls «an anthem». Less than two months after his supposed signature on the RCA, he thus proved he had no intention of respecting this signature. When it came to the point of singing the refrain, he extended the microphone towards the crowd, slyly avoiding pronouncing the term«battyman» (bugger) himself, letting the crowd sing it for him.

http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall/d_history_2007.htm

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20081218-59.pdf


18 June 2007 - Video of the performance of Nah Apologize in Paris

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2b7um_sizzla-paris-nah-apologize-to-no-ba_music

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070618-89.pdf


23 June 2007 - Sizzla Kalonji 22 June in Bari

http://www.soundsystem.it/vai.asp?articleID=131

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070622-99.pdf


3 July 2007 - Video of the performance of Nah Apologize at Bordeaux

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2h3nf_sizzla-bordeaux-3-07-07_music

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070703-99.pdf


Lyrics of Nah Apologize:

http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall/u_lyrics_nah4.htm

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070613-69.pdf


C) On 7 July 2007 at Cologne (Germany) Sizzla came out with homophobic remarks at a press conference at the end of the Summerjam Festival: «If you found a family, you give respect to your mother. If you go to other men, you draw her reputation into the dirt… A man must decide whether he wants to be a piece of dirt or a proud man – it’s as simple as that.»

http://www.queer.de/news_detail.php?article_id=8467

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080320-99.pdf


D) On 25 December 2007, along with Capleton, Sizzla violated the RCA by performing, among others, To The Point, during a GT Taylor Christmas Extravaganza in Jamaica:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fgiG2oz7ac

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20071225-89.pdf

http://www.stopmurdermusic.ch/reitschule/stopmurdermusic/Texte/CapletonbreaksRCA-Video.pdf

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20081104-89.pdf


Lyrics of To The Point:

http://www.soulrebels.org/dancehall/u_lyrics_to_the.htm

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070617-99.pdf


E) On 31 March 2008, the German LSVD association reported this evidence of an activist in a Jamaican human rights organisation, according to which Sizzla has continued to perform his Murder Music in Jamaica. «Since signing the RCA Sizzla has performed the songs at local concerts. What he does is that he does not say the homophobic content but puts the mike to the audience who then shout it out.... I do believe that it adds up to the same thing.»

http://www.lsvd.de/fileadmin/pics/Dokumente/Homosexualitaet/Sizzla_FactSheet.pdf

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080331-99.pdf


F) On 26 February 2010, in Zimbabwe, denied having signed the RCA. The Sunday Mail -«I understand you were made to sign some documents that forbid you from singing anti-gay songs when you are in Europe. What is your position on gay relationships?» Sizzla - «The preachings and teachings of the Most High say that it is not right for a man to be with another man or a woman with another woman. All of us wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the union of a man and woman. Family is a basic unit in society./ I support the royal family set-up of a king and a queen./ I did not sign any papers, it is just an agreement I have with certain promoters - it is their system. I cannot stop singing those songs because there is a message in those songs which people should hear.»

http://www1.sundaymail.co.zw/inside.aspx?sectid=4928&cat=3

http://i-reggae.blogspot.com/2010/02/after-10-years-king-sizzla-finally-made.html

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100227-89.pdf


G) On 1 April 2010 in South Africa, Sizzla declared: Mail & Guardian (0’58): “... What do you think about South Africa’s Constitution [which protects LGBT people’s rights]? In your lyrics sometimes you speak about homosexuality, and… you don’t seem to be a big fan of it, and some people have actually called you homophobic.” - Sizzla (1’16): “Well I speak the truth and it will cost what it will. Here is the right and the wrong and [some people will] continue to do the wrong still. Constitution is for the leadership of the people and I do believe the people should be led in the ways of the Most-High, the principles of the Most-High, and we as African people, Black people, we are spiritual people. We are of the Bible. And there is principles of the Bible that we do abide by. So… if the Constitution in South Africa gives authority for homosexuals and lesbians… Well, it is from those who are ruling but I think it will be way aware to step away from the principles of the Most-High and leading the people because we see homosexuals and lesbians as corruption. So… I’m not criticize but just speak the truth… I’m not with homosexuals and lesbians. I think it is really corrupted and it’s corrupting our youth after day… and it’s… stepping from the part… we… of life… of the right justice...”

http://www.mg.co.za/multimedia/2010-03-31-rhetorical-rasta

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100401-89.pdf


English translation of this French original text. In the event of any differences between the English translation and the French original, the French text shall prevail. Translated by T. E

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