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Tatchell Tames Reggae
On Gays And Lesbians
29 July 2007- Peter Tatchell,
the gay rights activist who on two occasions tried to effect a citizen's
arrest on President Robert Mugabe for human rights abuses, has scored a
first: convincing four famous reggae superstars to renounce homophobia
and violence against gay men and lesbians.
Buju Banton, who performed in
Zimbabwe years ago, is the latest top Jamaican reggae superstar to
renounce homophobia and condemn violence against lesbians and gay men.
His notorious 1990s hit tune Boom
Bye Bye, which he has continued to perform at concerts to this day,
encourages listeners to shoot gay men in the head, pour acid on their
bodies and burn them alive.
Now, Banton has changed his tune,
joining three other world-famous reggae legends to sign the Reggae
Compassionate Act (RCA). The other three are Beenie Man, Capleton and
Sizzla.
The agreement comes after a series
of concerts by the four were banned and it is believed that the
musicians lost about US$5m as a result.
The RCA came into existence after
strong advocacy by gay and lesbian organisations.
Tatchell is co-ordinator of the
worldwide Stop Murder Music campaign. He helped negotiate the deal with
the four singers.
"The Reggae Compassionate Act is a
big breakthrough," Tatchell, who is part of the British gay human rights
group OutRage, is quoted as saying.
In the Reggae Compassionate Act the
three singers pledge to "Respect and uphold the rights of all
individuals to live without fear of hatred and violence due to their
religion, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or gender.
"There's no space in the music
community for hatred and prejudice, including no place for racism,
violence, sexism or homophobia."
Part of Tatchell's political
activism and journalism in the 1970s involved the Second Chimurenga, in
the then Rhodesia
But Mugabe's fierce denunciation of
homosexuality in 1995 led him to help organise a protest by Gays and
Lesbians of Zimbabwe outside the Zimbabwe High Commission in London.
Two years later, he managed to
sneak through police security disguised as a TV cameraman to quiz Mugabe
during a tea break at the Africa at 40 conference at Central Hall
Westminster in London.
Mugabe thanked him for his support
for the liberation struggle and told him that allegations of human
rights abuses were grossly exaggerated.
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