Sizzla's concert cancelled (France), Montpellier's mayor re-affirms firm stand in the face of homophobic calls for murder

STOP MURDER MUSIC FRANCE (LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON)

Press release No. TR10INT11J

Paris, Friday 24 September 2010 FR

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Sizzla, known for his calls for the murder of LGBT people (lesbians, gays, bi- and trans-sexuals), was due to sing yesterday at Montpellier’s Festi Plaisir.

On 9 May 2008, Tjenbé Rèd - the Afro-Caribbean association for the struggle against all forms of racism, homophobia and Aids, the French co-ordinator of the international Stop Murder Music (SMM) network - warned the mayor, Hélène MANDROUX (member of the Socialist Party), about another concert of the singer. The elected representative had then asked the Prefect to cancel this concert “because of the violent and discriminatory tenor, particularly of a homophobic nature, of certain songs”. [1]

Last August 21, our association, getting support on 20 September from Mr Michel PASSET, the Chair of the communist group on the Montpellier Municipal Council, warned Mrs MANDROUX about yesterday’s concert. She just reaffirmed her position by “solemnly warning the organisers” of this new concert [2]. We learns fortuitously that this concert has been cancelled without explanation. (The artist, it is true, is accustomed to unannounced cancellations, of which his fans complain on diverse Internet forums.) [3]

We congratulates Mrs MANDROUX and Mr PASSET for their commitments in support of human rights and invites the Municipal Council to vote on a position of principle relating to all of the singers tracked by the SMM campaign (Beenie Man, Bounty Killer, Buju Banton, Capleton, Elephant Man, Sizzla or Mavado, Dr Evil and Leftside) [4]. This position would help exercise a salutary pressure on these“singers”, veritable messengers of death. In this way, Vybz Kartel and the TOK group, initially targeted by the campaign, now respect a code of conduct: the Reggae Compassionate Act (RCA). [5]

For Tjenbé Rèd, chair, David AUERBACH CHIFFRIN

+33 (0)6 10 55 63 60 (Fr. Mainland) - +596 (0)6 96 05 24 55 (FWI) - Fax: +33 (0)1 76 50 59 79

contact@tjenbered.fr

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[1A] 9 mai 2008 - Alerte homophobie ! Buju Banton et Sizzla, deux chanteurs homophobes, en

tournée en France ! (Sizzla, le «butteur de pédés», est à Montreuil ce mercredi 14 mai) -

Communiqué de presse n°TR08POL03

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080509-00.html [fr]

[1B] 28 May 2008 - Sizzla seems to re-affirm his intention to abide by the Reggae

Compassionate Act (The main obstacle to his return to France could thus be removed) -

Press release No TR08POL09

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080528-01.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2008/20080528-00.html [fr]

[2A] 21 août 2010 - Campagne Stop Murder Music - Sizzla à Montpellier : «Butte les pédés,

mon flingue va tirer» ?! - Communiqué de presse n°TR10INT11C

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100821-00.pdf [fr]

[2B] 22 September 2010 - Stop Murder Music in South of France: Tjenbé Rèd calls upon the

mayor of Montpellier to renew her commitment against homophobia in the face of the singer

Sizzla - Press release No.TR10INT11I

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100921-19.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100921-10.pdf [fr]

http://www.lepost.fr/ [fr]

[2C] 23/24 septembre 2010 - Discrimination : Hélène Mandroux regrette la tenue du concert

de Sizzla à Montpellier (Communication du maire de Montpellier, Hélène Mandroux)

http://portmarianne.montpellier.fr/TPL_CODE/TPL_ESPACEPRESSE/PAR_TPL_IDENTIFIANT/29

42/RETURN/1/6-quartier-port-marianne-montpellier.htm [fr]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100924-99.jpg [fr]

[3A] 23 septembre 2010 - Message non motivé d’annulation du concert de Sizzla prévu au

Festi Plaisir de Montpellier sur le site Internet Fnac.com (Capture d’écran par Tjenbé Rèd)

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100923-79.jpg [fr]

[3B] 10/24 septembre 2010 - Message motivé d’annulation du concert de Sizzla prévu au

Garance Élysée Montmartre sur le site Internet Fnac.com (Capture d’écran par Tjenbé Rèd)

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100910-59.jpg [fr]

[3C] 10 September 2010 - Stop Murder Music campaign: Sizzla’s concert cancelled, Vybz

Kartel’s still on - Press release No. TR101NT11H

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100910-09.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100910-00.pdf [fr]

[4] 21 September 2010 - Stop Murder Music France (Paris): Council of 18th district of Paris

denounces homophobic calls for murder by singer Vybz Kartel - Press release No.TR10INT12

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100921-09.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100921-00.pdf [fr]

[5A] 23 September 2010 - Stop Murder Music France (Paris, Montpellier): Vybz Kartel, from

calls to murder to the Reggae Compassionate Act (The Jamaican singer commits himself never

again to call for the murder of LGBT people) - Press release No. TR10INT12A

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100923-09.pdf [en]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100923-00.pdf [fr]

http://www.lepost.fr/ [fr]

http://www.davibejamaica.com/en/news/la-venue-de-vybz-kartel-confirmee.html [fr]

[5B] 22 September 2010 - Reggae Compassionate Act (Signed in Kingston by Vybz Kartel)

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100922-99.jpg [en]

[5C] 13 août 2009 - Reggae Compassionate Act (Adapted and signed in Zürich by T.O.K.)

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2009/20090813-89.pdf [en]

[5D] 13 juin 2007 - Reggae Compassionate Act (Version française établie par Tjenbé Rèd

le 18 octobre 2008)

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2007/20070613-88.pdf [fr]

[6] 13 juillet 2010 - Photographies de la manifestation de Tjenbé Rèd lors de la venue de

Capleton à l’Élysée Montmartre à Paris

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100713-99.html

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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.

24 septembre 2010 - Stop Murder Music France (Languedoc-Roussillon) : Le concert du

chanteur Sizzla annulé, le maire de Montpellier réaffirme sa fermeté face aux appels au

meurtre homophobes - Communiqué de presse n°TR10INT11J

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100924-00.pdf [fr]

http://www.tjenbered.fr/2010/20100924-09.pdf [en]