3rd FREEMUSE WORLD CONFERENCE ON MUSIC & CENSORSHIP25-26 November 2006 in Istanbul, Turkey

VIDEO INTERVIEWSContent

Fadal Dey – singer from Côte d'Ivoire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Grup Yorum – music group from Turkey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Jason Carter– British guitarist about Saudi Arabia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Jeroen de Kloet – Dutch researcher about China . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Mario Masvidal – professor from Cuba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Maxwell Sibanda – journalist from Zimbabwe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Maya Medich & Lemez Lovas – UK researchers about Belarus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Mirwaiss Sidiqi – director from Afghanistan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Rabah Donquishoot – rapper from Algeria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Roger Lucey – musician from South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Sanar Yurdatapan – director, activist and composer from Turkey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Selda Bağcan – singer from Turkey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Stephan Smith-Said – Musician and writer from USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

About Freemuse – short introduction by members of the Freemuse Executive Committee . . . 29

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FADAL DEY(Côte d'Ivoire)

Fadal Dey is currently one of the rising stars of reggae music in Africa. His concerts attract thousands of admirers.

In this interview he speaks about music censorship in Côte d'Ivoire and West Africa, as he experienced it concerning his song 'Bat Government'. 

Fadal Dey took part in the session 'Africa wants to be free' at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006.

Born in 1966 in Bouaflé, Côte d’Ivoire, Fadal Dey (real name: Koné Ibrahima Kalilou) became singer and reggae musician under the name of Fadal Dey after starting off in theater. Having recorded a four-track demo in 1993, he released his first album ‘Religion’ which sold more than 100,000 copies. His reputation quickly crossed the borders. Sales of his second album, ‘Jahsso’, reached 150,000 copies. His latest album, ‘Méditation’, was released in 2003.

More information about Fadal Dey and Côte d'Ivoire:http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/rhythms/ivorycoast.shtml

The video interview and Fadal's speech was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown. The interview on 24 November 2006, the speech on 26 November 2006. Signature music: Jason Carter recorded live at the conference. 

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Translation of the video interview with Fadal Dey

“Hi, I’m an Ivorian artist, musician and reggae singer. I’ve made a song called 'Bat Government' and it’s not played at all in my country, especially now. It’s not even played in neighbouring countries like Togo or Guinea. It’s not heard on the radio simply because, as you know, these countries are relatively young and their president hold on to power against the people’s will. This song sort of denounces that. These countries lack democracy and that is why 'Bat Government' is not played there.”

[Fadal sings:]

Sons of AfricaIt is time – let’s wake upIt’s really the time for us to tell each other what we call the “gbè” We must no longer wash the surface of the wound

It’s really time for us to tell each other the “gbè” [the “gbè”=the truth] For democracy, brave sons, let’s wake up It’s really time to tell each other the truth

Nelson Mandela beat de Klerk in South AfricaIs de Klerk dead?François Mitterrand beat Giscard d’Estaing in France Is d’Estaing dead? Now Jacques Chirac has replaced Mitterrand Is that what Mitterrand died of?

As long as some unconscious ones hold on to power to satisfy their egos Africa will never know any evolution Any fraternitycountry of peace

“Yes I”!

[Interview continues:]

“This song you’ve just heard is called 'Bat Government'. Unfortunately, this song can’t be played in Côte d’Ivoire anymore. It can’t be played on TV broadcasts simply because, as you’ve heard, it talks about the state of our politics. This song is censured. When you have a programme on state TV or on the radio and you propose to play this song, you will be told : “No, play another song!”. That’s how we are victims of censorship. I’m not the only one in the same situation, other musicians are too, like for instance my soul brother Tiken Jah Fakoly, who isn’t played at all on the state channels, only maybe on some private channels. You also have brother Ned Souls, some of his songs aren’t played either. There also are some artists who would like to say some things but are frightened, who are scared by the situation today and they practise self-censorship. Well, that’s why I’ve sung you this little song, to say that we live today in a climate where there’s no freedom for expression, you can’t talk and say what you want and this has got to stop.”

[Speech at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference:]

“I’m from the north and when you leave my village, you go to Tiken Jah’s village. Thanks God, I don’t have any problems myself in Côte d’Ivoire yet. Physically, I mean. Censorship, of course, but no physical problems yet. There are lines I can’t cross, so I practise self-censorship in a way! [laughs]

In conclusion, I’d like to say that the repression and censorship exercised by our country’s power-holders mustn’t intimidate us. Through their acts, we should know that we are on the right path and that our messages are salutary for all the people of the world. It’s by wrestling away our freedom of expression that humanity will go through a real change, which means true democracy.

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And as the proverb says: “Truth reddens the eyes but doesn’t break them”. We have a duty of truth with respect to the people. No matter what challenges there might be, the people always support us. The history of humanity has always shown that men always recognised the merit of freedom fighters. The continuing presence of the songs by Bob Marley is the most manifest proof of this. I thank you.”

[Interview continues:]

“I’m not the only one in this situation, many artists are: for example, big brother Tiken Jah Fakoly whose concert was recently forbidden in Guinea. There are many other artists in Côte d’Ivoire who feel like saying things, exposing and expressing their ideas and beliefs but they’re afraid. They’re afraid of being beaten, exiled, like Tiken Jah, or even assassinated. That means that many artists can’t talk and we lack freedom of expression.

That is why I welcome this conference. We wish to be able to express ourselves. We wish for more democracy, more freedom of expression for musicians. So 'Bat Government' is a song advocating for more democracy in Africa.”

Translated by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown.

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GRUP YORUM(Turkey)

Ali Aracı, Öznur Turan and Cihan Keşkek are members of the politically active Turkish folk music band Grup Yorum. In this 12-minutes interview they talk about their personal experiences of music censorship in Turkey.

See also transcription below. 

Speaking on behalf of Grup Yorum, Cihan Keşkek took part in the session 'Turkey: Crossing the Bridge' at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006.

About Grup YorumGrup Yorum was established in Istanbul by university students in 1985. The band was formed to make the voice of the land and the people of Anatolia, "heard with an infusion of revolutionary and socialist music", as they write on their home page. The group has released 19 albums and presented numerous shows in Turkey and Europe. They also have participated in hundreds of mass protests, street demonstrations, strikes, and factory

and university occupations. Because of their political activities and the dissenting direction in the content and presentation of their music, the band members have faced numerous custody cases, arrests and prohibitions. Several members of the band were tortured and have been sentenced to decades of prison time. In his presentation at the Freemuse conference, Cihan Keşkek mentions an incident where the band's CDs and cassettes were fired at by security forces.

About 'Cemo'The song 'Cemo' which they sing in the video clip is the title song of their 1989 album. Cemo is a Turkish boy's name. Their album 'Feda' (Sacrifice) from 2001 was banned by the Ministry of Culture in Turkey.For a full transcription of the interview which was conducted on 25 November 2007 in Istanbul, see the English translation below. 

Grup Yorum's official web site: www.grupyorum.netArticle about Grup Yorum in Mondomix: http://grup_yorum.mondomix.com/en/portrait3651.htm

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Translation of the video interview

Cihan Keşkek’s presentation at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference

Welcome to you all.

We have been through so many things during the last 21 years. We are going to present only a small section from these. Our group was formed in 1985. We have released 19 albums so far. We have been arrested, taken into custody, tortured, and our albums were banned countless times. When you compare me with our older sisters and brothers, I feel you might think I am too young. I have been in this group for the last eight years. There have been many times we have been enquired after as draft-evaders and got arrested. Our albums were banned. The radio DJ’s were sacked for playing our songs. Some of our listeners were taken into custody and got tortured for having our albums. But none of the law suits that were filed against us have come to a conclusion. We have never received any punishment. But some of our members are in prison at the moment. 60 members have come in and out of the group so far. We have 10 members now. As I have mentioned before, only eight members can come on stage with us.

One of our members, İhsan Cibelik, is being held in prison, in Ankara. Another, Ufuk Lüker, is abroad and has to live in exile.

We were arrested for the first time on 10 September 1988 in İstanbul, for singing a Kurdish song at an event. Then in the same year, for joining a solidarity night for Palestine, we were investigated and taken into custody. And then there was a concert in Mersin, in 1989, which was another milestone in our career. A few hours before the concert, our friends learned that the concert was banned. And as a protest, the audience sang our songs in front of the concert hall. And the police beat and detained our friends. Our nine friends were held in prison for one-and-a-half months in Mersin. During that time a new Grup Yorum was formed in İstanbul. So we could confuse those who thought they could silence Grup Yorum with arrests. From then on the group undertook a mission like a snow-machine, which moves fast to clear the road anonymously, with an indefinite number of members.

In 1991, our album ‘Cesaret’ (Courage) was released. While our albums were on a truck on the way to Diyarbakır, a Kurdish city, the truck was raided by the police. And when they saw the boxes that were tagged ‘Grup Yorum’ they took the boxes out and shot at them. Those cassettes that were shot at are here now. You may have a look at them. This happened in 1991.

A concert we wanted to give in (Northern) Cyprus on 2 September 1993 was banned. And this time the reason for the ban was quite interesting. The excuse was that the concert hall was “instable”. Our friends were taken into custody and got deported.

And in 1995 at the Ortaköy Cultural Centre where we work was shut down by the police. As a protest, our friends invaded the İstanbul head quarters of a leftist party CHP (People’s Republican Pary) and after hours of invasion, with the intervention of some members of National Assembly, our centre was reopened.

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On 20 March 1999, this time just few hours before a concert in our centre, the centre was raided by the police and we were taken into custody with the 41 people who had gathered, so far. On 30 July 2000, our friends, who gathered in front of the hall of justice in Istanbul to protest against the repression of the police, were beaten and detained. One of them got a broken nose, and another a broken hip. I was one of them.

In 2001, our album ‘Feda’ (Sacrifice) was taken off from the market with no clear reason given. And we still don’t know what the reason was. We recently found out the ban on this album was lifted in 2006.

In 2004, within the same year, our three friends were arrested for various reasons. One of them is here among us today. One of them is still being held in prison. And the other couldn’t show up here, but he is outside and free. We campaigned against these arrests then. In 2006, the concert bans continued. Our concerts in Zonguldak, in İstanbul, in Trabzon, in İzmir-Alaçatı and in İzmir-Selçuk were banned by the police.

So these are the things I can tell you, in brief. And all the things I have been telling about do not only belong to our reality. These make up the history and reality of Turkey. And I hope you had the chance to have a closer look to what we as artists of Turkey, have been going through.

And once again, we thank you all for coming.

 

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Video interview with Grup Yorum:

Ali Aracı, Öznur Turan and Cihan Keşkek

Cihan Keşkek: Grup Yorum was founded in 1985. And during the 21 years, we have released 19 albums. We have encountered countless restraints and arrests. Tens of law suits have been filed against us. Yet, all of them are pending. We are continuing to make our music under pressure.

Ali Aracı: I will take it from here. This will be a short interview, anyway. Tens of suits have been filed against us, in the last 21 years. Before our album ‘Cemo’ was published our friends were arrested. Because a song was sung in Kurdish for the first time in this country our friend was arrested. Our album ‘Feda’ (Sacrifice) was banned by the Ministry of Culture. Apart from this, our albums were permitted by the Ministry of Culture, but they would be banned regionally, with orders from governors. Even when they weren’t banned, the police would make sure the albums weren’t listened to. People would be arrested and threatened for listening to our albums. These things, these repressions still happen. Lately, our album ‘Feda’ was banned, and this brought concert bans. Öznur can tell you about these.

Öznur Turan:Things both my friends tell, also say a lot about the repression process in this country. Our group faced repression and bans many times since it was formed. One of the most important of these is concert bans. They were very important, very crucial for us. Our concert in Northern Cyprus was hindered in 1993. The reason for this was very simple and funny. It was because the concert hall’s construction was claimed not to be resistant to such noise. In fact it wasn’t true. Despite that, our concert was banned without any serious reason given. Our friends were taken into custody and got deported. Of course these bans didn’t happen only back in 1993. Even now when the buzz about EU is around, these bans continue in disguise. So nothing has changed in our country. Our concerts are still banned in many regions of Turkey, Anatolia. The recent examples of these were the bans in Trabzon, in Zonguldak, on the grounds that the concert halls were not appropriate. And this year, in 2006, our concert in Selçuk was banned by the municipality without any solid reason. We are aware that as long as Grup Yorum continue to make music, there will still be repression and bans. Because Grup Yorum oppose the system.

Cihan Keşkek: Let’s add this: These things happen to us because our music is political. We have a political attitude. We have an ideology. We stand for solidarity. We conduct an organised struggle. While we sing our songs, we live among people. We live like they do, we think like they do.We struggle with them. They are trying to detach us from the people, from our audience, from the people of Turkey, our people. They are trying to isolate us. And this is the reason for the things that happen to us. We are organised and we conduct a political struggle.

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Ali Aracı: As an addition to what Cihan has said:We make music of the repressed people. It is usually said that musicians are neutral or artists don’t take sides. No, we say the opposite. Our music takes side. We take side with repressed people, we make their music. This is what I can say on our music. And our ideology can be summarised as ‘we want an independent country’. We want a democratic country. And we believe in socialism. Our common ideology is based on independence, democracy and socialism.

Cihan Keşkek: Maybe we should also say this: We make our songs collectively. For example, none of us composes a song on their own. Sometimes friends who are arrested can make a song. They send us the songs. It is discussed by all members of the group. It becomes a song which tens of people work on. So we reflect the collectiveness in our lives to our songs. This is what we can say about our production. Our songs are based on realities of people, life, as well as repression in the world. The attacks and invasions of imperialism. The invasion of Iraq can be a theme to a song. The mass killings in Palestine by Israel Zionism can be our theme. The hegemonic power that the USA has over the world can be a theme. Everything that is a part of the universal struggle can be a theme for our songs.

Öznur Turan:Our group consists of ten members. Actually eight of us are together physically. Our two friends are not with us. Because our member İhsan Cibelik is in an F-Type prison, in Sincan, at the moment. Another member, Ufuk Lüker cannot stay here because of the cases brought against him in our country. He lives in exile, in Europe. We can talk about this, too. I think, not much is left to be said.

Ali Aracı: The F-type prisons Öznur talked about… Muharrem Cengiz, and I… we have been sent to F-type prisons. The F-type are isolation prisons which have been used in our country for seven years. People are put in cells and isolated in those places. Of course we struggle against this. And we get our share. We, too, have been sent to F-type prisons. We have been subjected to isolation. Three members of Grup Yorum have been sent to F-type prisons. I am one of them. Another is Muharrem Cengiz. And İhsan Cibelik is still being held in an isolation prison. It is an important problem in our country. Some prisoners are on a death fast. Our friend İhsan Cibelik had started a death fast in protest against F-type prisons. And he continues his life in prison as a disabled person because of this fast. And they live under very difficult circumstances. As Grup Yorum, this is what we can say generally. Thank you.

Cihan Keşkek: But this should also be mentioned. Various things have been said and written on Grup Yorum. In the world press as well. We were interviewed by the BBC, once. But this was never broadcasted and was hindered somehow. This is what Freemuse is about. It is founded against censorship. And we are a group that seriously got its share of censorship, repression and bans in Turkey. And of course we are against repression. And we will be in this struggle against repression and censorship. We thank you.

How do you feel about this?

First of all, despite all we’ve been through, we try not to lose our optimism and our hope that some things will change. Besides, that very hope is what helps us carry on. Of course, we are angry. There are times that we are sorry. There are times that human emotions take hold. But because we always keep our belief that things will change this keeps us holding on. Of course, we are angry. We are angry at those who exert pressure. But we are hopeful. We love what we do. And it is a difficult thing to do in our country. You remain under heavy pressure. But as long as we have hope we will keep going on. For 21 years, Grup Yorum has been in struggle. Unlike many other groups, a lot of artists have joined the group. Grup Yorum has brought up their own members. Some of them have left. But the group has been going in the same direction... for 21 years. It’s a group that keeps growing with the increasing number of its audiences. And of course, we are happy because of this. We are very happy for being a member of Grup Yorum in this country. We give concerts in many other countries in the world, too. We have audiences in other countries, too. Not only in our country. Our group is getting bigger, our audience is increasing in numbers. And this is something we take pride in. All that can be said is said. I think there is nothing for me to add to.

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Do you think this situation will change?

Cihan KeşkekWe said we preserve our belief that Turkey will change. And we know that it will change. Like many difficulties that were overcome throughout history, like the changes that occurred, we believe we will overcome our difficulties. Turkey’s current problem, this situation is not everlasting. Of course there will be improvements. But these improvements will come only as long as people struggle. Only when the people have a voice in the management, will we be convinced that there is a progress in Turkey and it has become more democratic. And we will act accordingly. This is what I think.

Ali AracıI think what you asked was whether there have been some changes in our country during the negotiations for EU Membership? Some laws have been changed. But these changes have been non-functional. Because what’s effective in Turkey is not what it says in the constitution but how they are put into practice. And nothing has changed practically. For example in the past we wouldn’t be able to get written authorisation from the police for our concerts. They cannot do that anymore. They have to give authorisation. But this time, the concert venues are threatened. And the organisers are threatened. So this is how the concerts are obstructed. There are still the same difficulties but they are transformed. And when the EU looks at the laws, the prohibitions are not there. They say the concerts are not banned. But our concerts are banned unlawfully. So we don’t believe democracy will come through the EU.

Like Cihan, I believe this will be achieved through the democratic struggle of the people of Turkey. In fact, I think this is connected to your previous question – whether we have a resentment or not.Like Cihan said, we don’t have personal resentments. We defend the rights of the repressed classes. We know that there are repressing and repressed classes. And ours is the resentment of repressed classes. And as a group we call for struggle. And we believe that as long as we keep our faith and hope we will keep on making these songs, these marches. And we will go on calling the people to organise until there will be independence and socialism in this country. We are evoking people through our music. We call for a collective action to subvert this system. Like Cihan said, no repression is everlasting. This will end eventually. Our faith in those days is infinite. We believe and trust in this.

The song ‘Cemo’ Translation of the lyrics

High on mountains, fire’s burningThat lovers are sitting byOne day ill-fated fall apartWhen Cemo goes down to prairieLover, loverLover, lover...

Beret with the star on its foreheadHis rifle in his handGoing up to mountains of DersimSinging folk songsOh, CemoDear Cemo, dear Cemo...

Translated by Doruk Yurdesin.

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Why was 'Feda' banned?Grup Yorum never found out. They write on their web site:

"...They moved with great speed to confiscate our cassettes, and though we moved quickly to get them to explain concretely why they have done so, a month has passed and there has been no reply. It is known that if an album does not pass the control commission's scrutiny, it is because of one line in a song or an entire song. Or else there are several songs like that. But there are 14 songs in the "Feda" cassette. Is that the reason for banning all of them? Well, "Meryem" is an Arabic-language love song, "This Homeland Is Ours" is a poem by Nazim Hikmet which we have set to music, "Does Anyone Hear My Voice?" was composed after the August 17 and November 12 earthquakes, there is a poem by Dadaloglu which we have set to music, called "Kozanoglu", and is that a reason for the control commission to ban all of them? Who is threatening national security? Dadaloglu or Nazim Hikmet? How does the public benefit? How do they determine that this album is harmful to the public? Who has established that that is the case? What have we sung that is contrary to this? Have we encouraged theft and immorality? We know that the public's benefit is a matter of traditions and customs expressed under a law-based system. What have we sung that is contrary to this? Have we encouraged theft and immorality?..."

(...)"...If in history it is recorded that songs were banned, it is also recorded that those who banned them were forgotten. But songs will still be sung from century to century..."

Text in full on www.groupyorum.net – 29 February 2004: http://www.grupyorum.net/en/extended.php?h_article_id=1&h_tarih=&&PHPSESSID=0cc6f9cbcf71b13df8d349dd8e2a5b1e

The video interview as well the performance of the song 'Cemo' was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown on 25 November 2006 during the 3rd Freemuse World Conference. The signature song was performed live by Jason Carter at the conference. 

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JASON CARTER(United Kingdom / Finland)

Jason Carter performs mainly as a solo guitarist, and has toured the world extensively for British Council. He has strong artistic links with the Middle East and was the co-founder of the ‘Bahrain International Guitar Festival’.

In this interview he speaks about his personal experiences of music censorship in the Middle East. 

Jason Carter took part in the session 'All that is banned is desired' at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006.

Guitarist, producer and composer Jason Carter was born in UK in 1969 and currently resides in Finland. His style is a mix of Flamenco, Jazz and Classical, demonstrated through the wide range of CDs that he has produced for Sony, EMI, ASV and ARC Music. He is writing a book about how music can be a 'bridge-builder' between worlds and cultures.

Jason Carter's official web site:www.jasoncarter.net

The video interview as well as the recording of Jason Carter's performance together with Marjan Vahdat was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown. The interview in the bazaar in Istanbul on 24 November 2006, the concert on Babylon on 27 November 2006.

Signature song

Together with Marjan Vahdat, Jason Carter produced the signature song for the Music Freedom Day.

The song is included on the CD-R which comes with the conference report

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JEROEN DE KLOET(The Netherlands)

Jeroen de Kloet has done extensive field research in Beijing about its local music cultures. He teaches at the department of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam.

In this interview he speaks about the present situation concerning music censorship in China – as it appeared by the end of 2006. 

Jeroen de Kloet presented the session 'Singing under the Red Flag' at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006. The research of Jeroen de Kloet focuses on the globalisation of popular culture, in particular music, with a specific interest in China. His current research also includes other genres such as film and art, as well as a comparative project on computer hackers in Shanghai and New York.

The video clip also contains short music clips with the Chinese artists Funky Disco, Back Dormitory Boys and a live recording of Li Yuchun which have been downloaded from youtube.com.

More about China from the conference

The video clip with Stephan Smith-Said contains statements by Kaiser Abdurusul, a PhD student from East Turkistan / Xinjiang in China about the life and death of the Chinese musician Kurash Sultan: http://www.freemuse.org/sw16239.asp

The video interview was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown on 24 November 2006. Signature music: Jason Carter recorded live at the conference. 

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MARIO MASVIDAL(Cuba)

Dr Mario Masvidal has hosted a weekly radio show for 12 years, and published various articles and essays on Cuban media and music during the last seven years.

In this interview he speaks about the present situation concerning music censorship in Cuba – as it appeared by the end of 2006. 

Professor Dr Mario Masvidal and Professor Ariana Hernandez-Reguant presented the session 'Cuban Alternative Sounds… and Silences' at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006.

Mario Masvidal Saavedra was born in Cuba in 1953. He graduated from University of Havana in 1974, and up til 1992, he worked as professor at the university. From 1992 til present day, Professor of Linguistics, Communication Theory, and Semiotics, at the Higher Institute of Arts of Havana. He has lectured in the USSR, Canada, Spain, and Mexico from 1990 to 2004. Has hosted a musical tv show during the past four years.

The video interview was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown on 24 November 2006. The recording of the session at the conference was recorded by Antenna on 25 November 2006. Signature music: Jason Carter recorded live at the conference. 

 

Related article

International Herald Tribune – 20 December 2006:'Cuban Rappers Want Their Own Revolution'http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/15/news/havana.php

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MAXWELL SIBANDA(Zimbabwe)

Maxwell Sibanda is an arts journalist and a member of the executive committee of Freemuse.

In this interview he speaks about music censorship in Zimbabwe – and about how the government has promoted itself through music while excluding musical voices of the opposition, and about the impact of radio blacklisting. 

Maxwell Sibanda took part in the session 'Africa wants to be free' at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006.

Born in Zimbabwe in 1968, Maxwell Sibanda has worked as media manager at Roof Top Promotions, arts & entertainment editor at Daily News and as marketing officer at Gramma Records. He has been a guest writer for Pen Germany (2006), Internationales Haus der Zuflucht der Autoren Graz, Austria (2005), and Hamburger Stiftung, Hamburg (2004-05). Has published three books and since 2000 done research on music and politics in Zimbabwe.

The video interview was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown on 27 November 2006. Signature music: Jason Carter recorded live at the conference. 

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MAYA MEDICH & LEMEZ LOVAS(United Kingdom)

Maya Medich and Lemez Lovas are authors of the Freemuse report about music censorship in Belarus which was published in November 2006, entitled 'Hidden Truths – Music, Politics and Censorship in Lukashenko's Belarus'.

This video is a five-minutes excerpt of their one-hour presentation launching the report, explaining the mechanisms of censorship in Belarus. The presentation took place at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey.

Anthropologist Maya Medich was born in Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina) in 1974, and is based in UK where she studied at Kingston University, and School of Oriental and African Studies at University of London. She specialises in research on civil society and the state in post-communist countries. Partner in London-based production and distribution company of Central and Eastern European independent documentary film.

British musician, composer, DJ and journalist Lemez Lovas was born in 1976. Studied at Oxford University, Gnessin Conservatory of Music, Moscow and School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Writes for various magazines and broadcasts regularly on BBC World Service English and Russian services on politics and culture in the former Soviet Union. Has written original scores for theatre and television. Founding member and bandleader of Oi Va Voi (V2 Records).

The video was recorded by members of Freedom of Expression Association on 26 November 2006, and edited by Mik Aidt. The signature music by Jason Carter was recorded live at the conference. 

Read more about music censorship in Belarus, and listen to six music examples: http://www.freemuse.org/sw16695.asp

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MIRWAISS SIDIQI(Afghanistan)

Mirwaiss Sidiqi of the Aga Khan Music Initiative for Central Asia works with music education in Afghanistan.

In this interview he speaks about the present situation concerning music in Afghanistan – as it appeared by the end of 2006 – and also more generally about the power of music. 

Mirwaiss Sidiqi took part in the session 'You can’t stop the birds singing' at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006.

Mirwaiss Sidiqi is programme manager and country director of the Aga Khan Music Initiative for Central Asia in Afghanistan. He has 12 years of experience working various companies in Europe and Central Asia, serving as sales manager, marketing director, branch councilors, market researcher, international commercial exhibit, and conference coordinator. He is fluent in English, French, German, Dari and Pashto. He was born in 1968.

Aga Khan Development Network's official website:http://www.akdn.org

The video interview was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown on 24 November 2006. Signature music: Jason Carter recorded live at the conference. 

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RABAH DONQUISHOOT (MBS)(Algeria)

Rabah is a musician and rapper who has produced a 'Music Freedom Day' signature song for Freemuse together with his group MBS and rappers around the world.

In this interview he speaks about music censorship in Algeria and about the role of the Algerian musician Matoub Lounes who was assassinated in 1998. 

Rabah Donquishoot (real name: Rabah Ourrad) took part in the session 'All that is banned is desired' at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006.

Rabah was born in Algeria in 1977. Today he is based in Barcelona, Spain. He started making music in 1994, during the civil war in Algeria, with his group MBS ('Le Micro Brise le Silence' – 'The Microphone Breaks the Silence'). They produced five albums, and alongside he produced three solo albums.

Rabah’s rap is very engaged socially and politically and talks about street life of Algerian youth. He caused quite a stir when he posed as the Algerian president Bouteflika on one of the group's album covers in 1999, 'Rabah President', which was banned in Algeria. He left the country for the first time in 1999 to France. Since then he has been performing all around the world “to pass the message and make his music freely, far away from control”.

MBS's profile on MySpace.com:http://www.myspace.com/mbsofficiel

CD-cover of 'Rabah President'

Listen to '152 mesures contre la censure' on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/musiccensorship

The video interview as well as Rabah's presentation and rap performance was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown on 26 November 2006. Signature music: Jason Carter recorded live at the conference. 

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Translation of the video clip speak and lyrics: Video interview with Rabah Donquishoot at Bilgi University, Istanbul, Turkey

Interview PART 1

You should be aware that there is only one tv channel and one radio channel in Algeria and they both belong to the state. As they're the media dealing with music, you have to go through it. They have a committee there that listens and censors and decides which videos should be excluded, like in the case of my video clip ‘Ni visa, ni euros’.

They said it encouraged the youth to leave Algeria so they couldn’t broadcast such a video. Or like Baaziz who had problems because of his song against the generals. They’ve also forbidden live broadcasts in Algeria so that nothing can be said that can’t be cut. So it’s difficult for us to talk freely.

There’s also censorship by the presenters, DJs and journalists themselves. They ask you straight up to choose the most harmless song from your latest album. That is to say: the one they can broadcast, the one that doesn’t deal with politics. This is the type of censorship you can find in Algeria. Everybody knows that they only play the most “politically correct” songs.

Rap excerpt 1 (at the conference)

Since silence has built its empireand the mouths remain shutand we accept the worselife in the middle of taboosthe least sign of intelligence condemns you to a programmed failure by the gangrene and its self-declared army

But from now onI need to prove myself Enough of behind the scenes The stage and my brothers’ blood are calling me I am calling my vocal cords My anger, my rhymes The rebellion takes place MBS lauches the raid on HZ waves To my sides: bings, sy et med

Interview PART 2

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Since Bouteflika was elected, he has promogated a law which generates more and more silence. The Article 144 and 144 B prohibits freedom of expression in the fields of music and literature. Those who insult the president or people in the government risk ending up in prison.

And in particular at the time when musicians who were singing in the Berber language just like the Kurds in Turkey. They were tortured and put in prison – like Ferhat Mhenni or like Debza – which means 'fist'. One of the musicians who used the Berber language. Like Matoub Lounes who was assassinated in 1998. Personally, I am in doubt whether this murder was done by Islamists or State Services.

And to wipe out that vague impression of freedom which we had gained by the juvenile revolution of 5 october 1988 which gave us the multi-party democracy and some socalled "independent" newspapers but still, no tv, no radio.

Some examples of recent censorship: My latest album, ‘Rabah President’ which I did to go up against that power which the president has to become re-elected. "They" called the record company director to say that he should not publish this album. He then requested that I change the cover and the lyrics in the first track which critisises the president. I refused, and the album was never published.

Interview PART 3

My personal feeling concerning this situation is primarily: anger. Anger towards those who – for absurd reasons – put barriers between me and my compatriots, ...those that I am addressing directly.

I also feel a great frustration because I can’t perform any live concerts. Because in Algeria, literally all concerts are organised by the state. You don’t have many privately organised concerts because the companies don’t have enough means and the state has a monopoly on all professional concert equipment. On top of this, the festivals are all controlled by official institutions like the Ministry of Culture, of Youth or whatever. In these cases, I can’t lend my support. That’s why we haven’t performed for a long time in Algeria.

The worst is that we’ve been working hard for many years to make and develop our music and to write texts and poems but we can’t sing them to the people we write for. It’s like something that’s nipped at the bud.

We feel a great frustration because we can perform in any place or through any media in Europe where most people don’t understand our lyrics. Yet those concerned cannot even hear them. We are unable to play our music neither in tv nor in the radio. We cannot get through with what we want and have to leave the most important part of our music behind. That’s why we struggle and we are prepared to go and play in the streets there. I’m sure we can play in the streets. As I always say: I don’t need your tv nor your radio. I’ll do it anyhow!

Rap excerpt 2

We talked about terrorism but the cup is still full and about these motherfuckers who let them paint the White with dirt

They built a bridge in El Hamma to make their stealing go easy these traders of oil the soldiers in the caserne and the generals in the port and those with blinded cars and 20 millions off-centims villas in "Club des Pins" With costums Their hands always in the air

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I swear that they don't understand a word about why they lost their votes They know just how to talk about nothing These worst of workers are "blue" like the sofas they sit on (the sofas in the parliament are blue)

Government budget... ok! Arabisation... right! Let's debate about this! Then... silence

They don't give a fuck but they still get more and more power and their children do whatever they want with their diplomatic passports while we are still waiting for our visas but with their consent or not we will get out of here

Interview PART 4

What I’m doing now has already been done by Matoub Lounes before me. Like him, I’m trying to fight against ignorance, censorship, dictatorship... And try to say things in a simple way, make poetry like you want to I am what I am and do what I do because I could listen to artists like Matoub Lounes, Ferhat Imazighen, Baaziz, KG2, and so on.

And I hope that our music, the hip hop, will be much more accepted because in general it is not an accepted form of music I hope the hip hop we practise will be accepted in Algeria and people will understand that we only write poetry about our social analysis and feelings and that we do it in a nice and beautiful way – a hip hop way because that is the music we want to make.

And we want to do it the Algerian way and not “blink!-blink!” the way the Americans do their hip hop. We don’t want to be influenced by anything outside of purely artistic genres. If Idir, who is so famous in Algeria, can sing pop music in Kabyle Berber language... If KG2 can sing rock music, why can’t our hip hop be played in the way we compose it with Algerian lyrics and Algerian music influences? We make it with the Algerian words inforporating the Algerian music.

Naturally, not because we want to please anyone, but simply because it is in our venes. We do all of this for the Algerian people, it is inspired by the guts of the Algerians and by the smell of the Algerian streets. And that people will understand this and that it will be possible for us to come through with this.

And perhaps... This is my dream, this is my hope: If I could do for all the Algerian rappers what Matoub Lounes has done for me.

Bonus excerpt of the interview (not on video)

The truth is, I think, that in general oppressed people – those who live under a dictatorship or in the third world – are much more sensitive to militant actions, or arts like music and poetry. The tv and the radio could popularise music, and we could be part of this. But it has always remained elitist

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insofar as it is enjoyed only by a minority of people. Algerian rap is young, though, it is only ten years old.

You have more and more movements in this genre now. It’s still difficult for young people to access our music because we can’t easily sell it, for publishing reasons especially. But young people try to find it on the web. Last time I was on the web, I was very surprised to be told by young fellows in my neighbourhood that I was known and some of them listened to me. They showed me what they had learnt and had downloaded from my work, thanks to the web!

That’s why I try to improve by providing more material for the web, but its access is not so commonplace in Algeria yet. This will come, however and that way we will have more and more space to express ourselves and be heard. I can tell you that rap musicians are very concerned by censorship in Algeria. They work hard on this issue and they try to bring out songs on this subject. Groups like Toks from Oran or Diaz and Mammoud from Alger do.

Lyrics by Rabah Donquishoot. Translation to English by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown and Rabah Donquishoot.

Source on the internet

Article about Rabah Donquishoot on Qantara.de – 2005:http://www.qantara.de/webcom/show_article.php/_c-310/_nr-249/i.html

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ROGER LUCEY(South Africa)

Musician and journalist Roger Lucey’s music was banned during apartheid in South Africa.

In this interview he speaks about his personal experiences with music censorship: it's impact on the artist, about the long term effects of censorship in a society such as South Africa, and how to deal with the past.  

Roger Lucey took part in the session 'On tour with the enemy' at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006.

Roger Lucey was born in South Africa in 1954. Started writing songs and singing in Durban in the 1970’s. Moved to Johannesburg in late 1970’s and recorded his first album there which was banned for possession and distribution. Second album was also restricted. During this time security police engaged in covert activity to silence him. After several years of crisis he started working for an international tv news agency. Lucey is a main character in the Freemuse film ‘Stopping the Music’. After several years of silence, he has now started recording and performing again.

Roger Lucey's official web site:www.rogerlucey.co.za

The video interview was recorded by Ole Reitov in Harare in Zimbabwe in April 2005. His performance was recorded by Mik Aidt at Babylon in Istanbul on 27 November 2006.

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ŞANAR YURDATAPAN(Turkey)

Composer Şanar Yurdatapan is Director of the Turkish-based Association for Freedom of Expression.

In this interview he speaks about the session entitled 'Turkey – Crossing the bridge' which was an important event at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul in November 2006.

Şanar Yurdatapan was born in Susurluk in Turkey in 1941. He became famous as a composer and song writer during the 1970’s. In addition to his contribution to popular music, Şanar has written music for films and plays. Following the military coup in 1980, he left Turkey and lived in exile in Germany for 12 years. The Turkish Military regime stripped him from his citizenship in 1983. He returned to Turkey in December 1991 and got his citizenship back in 1992.

Şanar has been the spokesperson of the ‘Initiative for Freedom of Expression’, leading a civil disobedience action, since 1995.

This is the website of the initiative:http://www.antenna-tr.org

The video also contains short excerpts of the testimony presentations by Ferhat Tunç, Selda Bağcan and Grup Yorum at the conference. The video interview with Sanar Yurdatapan as well as the additional clips from the conference was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown on 26 November 2006. Signature music: by Jason Carter, recorded live at the conference. 

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SELDA BAĞCAN(Turkey)

Selda Bağcan has sold albums counted in millions, and she has been accused with sentences that accumulate to over 500 years of imprisonment.

In this testimony she speaks about her personal experiences with music censorship in Turkey 

Selda Bağcan took part in the session about music censorship in Turkey, entitled 'Crossing the Bridge', at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2006.

Biography:http://www.seldabagcan.com.tr/6.html

Selda Bağcan's official home page:http://www.seldabagcan.com.tr

The video was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Freedom of Expression Association on 26 November 2006. Signature music: Jason Carter recorded live at the conference. 

Selda Bağcan's testimony at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in November 2006 

"First I want to say hello. I’ve been repressed and banned so many times in my life as an artist. I will list them in order:

1) My first two singles, released in July 1971 - 'Kâtip Arzuhalım Yaz Yare Böyle' (Clerk, Write Down My Petition to My Lover) / 'Mapushane İçinde Mermerden Direk' (Marble Column inside the Prison) and 'Tatlı Dillim' (My Smoothie) / 'Mapushanelere Güneş Doğmuyor' (Sun Doesn’t Rise in Prisons) were broadcasted by TRT many times due to public demand. [TRT: Türkiye Radyo Televizyon, the Turkish Broadcasting Corporation]

But then the songs’ themes on prison were identified with Deniz Gezmiş and his comrades who were in prison in those days. And that marked the beginning of an unofficial ban by TRT that went on for many years. The ban became official after 1980.

I was invited to the AKKO Festival in Israel in 1990. And then I was invited two more times to Israel for tv programmes. It hurt me that I was invited two times by another country while I was banned in my own country. I wanted to apply to the court to lift the ban.

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In 1992, the news “Selda is taking TRT to court” hit the headline in the newspaper Milliyet and the TRT administrators called to tell me that the ban was going to be lifted. And the ban was lifted. But the bans which the Supervisory Board of TRT imposed on me and my musician friends for many years had decisive effect on the destiny of music in Turkey, and especially on my destiny.

2) When I sang my own composition 'We Are Shot, My People, Don’t Forget Us' ('Vurulduk Ey Halkım Unutma Bizi') in 1977, in İzmit, at a concert at which other pop musicians were also involved, some groups among the audience wanted to stop me with “Communists to Moscow!”-slogans. And I was tried with Article 312 because of this song. I was sentenced to three months of imprisonment. But it was postponed.

3) This was after 12 September 1980. I was at my home in February 1981 when I was ordered “to come back to the country”. The reason for this order was the news in Hürriyet, the biggest selling newspaper at the time. The news were not correct. It was stated that I had been seen at protest marches abroad that were held against the military administration. However, I had already entered the country on 27 April 1980, five months before the coup.

The next day after I received the order to "come back my country", I left my home to go to the juridical advisor in Selimiye Barracks, to declare that I was in the country and I presented my passport. While I was answering the questions, my house was raided by a group of policemen. I was released in the evening, due to the date of entrance in my passport and some other investigations.

After I went home, my house was raided for a second time by a police squad who were carrying eight Thompson guns. I made them call Selimiye Barracks to confirm that I had been released. They left after the situation was understood. But I was tried for two and a half years because of this case. And I went to the court in Selimiye once a month. I was acquitted at the end of 1982.

4) After the order to "come back to the country", our door was knocked once again on 27 May 1981. A team of civil policemen took me to İstanbul Police Department No 1. They told me they found a recording that belonged to me. There was neither my name nor my photo on the cassette. Obviously it was a pirate copy. I told them I had to listen to it before I could accept any allegations. Yes, they were my songs. They took my statement and I spent the night in a cell.

The next day, while being questioned by the juridical advisor in Selimiye, I told them most of the music in the cassette belonged to me, but that I had compiled the lyrics from poems of well-known poets of Turkey, and the books were in the shop windows even then, and had not been banned. It was illogical that I was inside, while the books were outside. I was sent to prison anyway. I was taken to Metris Military Prison. I was in prison because of Koçero, in the book, whose face I had never seen.

[Koçero is the name of a bandit who lived in Anatolia in 20th century. He is seen as Robin Hood of Anatolia. The poet Hasan Hüseyin Korkmazgil wrote a poem about Koçero, and Koçero's life story has been documented in feature films and books. Selda Bağcan has never seen Koçero or known him, nor had anything to do with his actions, but even so, she was convicted and sentenced to jail simply because she put music and melody to Korkmazgil’s poem about him. Ed.]

[Video begins here]

The trial went on for two and a half years. I went to Selimiye once a month. Then I was acquitted. I was unable to continue my work because I was on trial all the time. There was no job anyway, no concert permissions. To summarize, I was ‘hungry’. And my passport was confiscated in February 1981. [Selda says 1980 in her presentation, but that was a mistake. Ed.]. It took me seven years to get it back.

5) The joy of my dismissal faded too soon. I was called to Hasanpaşa Police Station in Kadıköy, in April 1984. It was one-way The police told me that I was their "guest". Another cassette had been found and lead to a new arrest. I was detained. This time the proof of my communism was a folk song called 'Galdı Galdı'. My arrest rested upon an expert’s report by Professor Sulhi Dönmezer, who spent his last years as ‘apostle of democracy’, but actually had reported many of the 600,000 prisoners as communists back then.

At the first court hearing after probation, the judge asked me: “Why do they bring you here again and again?” and then released me. But the prosecutor objected and got an arrest warrant even before I was back in my ward. I was arrested again, and the trial went on for years. I was back in the

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halls of Selimiye and the case was dropped due to statute of limitations. Consequently, ten years of my life was spent on trials between 1977 and 1987 because of the songs I sang.

6) In 1988, my album 'Drawing Freedom and Democracy' ('Özgürlük ve Demokrasiyi Çizmek') which was the first release of my own company, was banned without any explanation. However, the lyrics were again from published books of well-known poets. Moreover, I had seen 'Moment Comes', ('An Gelir') the famous poem by Attila İlhan, at the prison library, and composed the song there. Again began a process which took months to clear the album off the charges. In the end it was discharged. But the impound caused an economical crisis which went on for five years.

Today, I carry on with music selling the same albums and singing the same songs at my concerts."

Translation to English by Doruk Yurdesin

Listen to the music of Selda Bağcan

Unofficial profile on MySpace:http://www.myspace.com/bagcanselda

Finders Keepers Records has uploaded five of her songs in MP3-format:http://finderskeepersrecords.com/discog_selda.html

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STEPHAN SMITH-SAID(USA)

Stephan Smith-Said is an Iraqi American songwriter whose father’s family lives under the daily threat of bombing in Baghdad and Mosul.

In this interview he speaks about the importance of music and of fighting music censorship – inspired by his attendance at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference in Istanbul in November 2006. 

Stephan Smith-Said describes himself as a “travelling troubadour”. He is a multi-talented musician – singer, violinist and composer – and a dedicated political activist. The New York publication The Village Voice called him the "heir apparent to Woody Guthrie."

Stephan Smith-Said's newest single, ‘Another World Is Possible’, has been released for free at his website: http://www.stephansmith.com

The video clip also contains short statements by Kaiser Abdurusul, a PhD student from East Turkistan, about the life and death of musician Kurash Sultan, and by Sanar Yurdatapan, a composer and human rights activist from Turkey who took part in organising the conference.

The video interview – as well as the additional clips from the conference – was recorded by Mik Aidt assisted by Gaëlle Gauthier-Brown on 27 November 2006. Signature music: Jason Carter recorded live at the conference.

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ABOUT FREEMUSE- a short video introduction

By Martin Cloonan, Daniel Brown, Bashar Shammout, and Klaus Slavensky who are members of the Freemuse Executive Committee, 2006-2007.

Duration: 6:12 minutes

The video interviews were recorded by Mik Aidt on 9 March 2007.

Go to www.freemuse.org for more informationFreemuse.org is the world's largest database on music censorship. Use it!

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