“We were asked to play Israel and we refused,” he says. “The question was asked: ‘If you don’t play there, how can you go there and change things?’ I said: ‘Listen, I can’t play in Israel when the Palestinians have no access to the same fundamental benefits that the Israelis do.’

Read The New Statesman Article Here

Massive Attack is a collaborative British music production duo from Bristol. Working necessarily alongside facilitating co-producers, as well as various favoured session musicians and guest vocalists, they make records and tour live. The duo are considered to be progenitors of the trip hop genre.

In a move saluted by PACBI, the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Committee (ISPC) has launched a national campaign of artists pledging to boycott Israeli apartheid:

“In response to the call from Palestinian civil society for a cultural boycott of Israel, we pledge not to avail of any invitation to perform or exhibit in Israel, nor to accept any funding from any institution linked to the government of Israel, until such time as Israel complies with international law and universal principles of human rights.”

Signatories of IPSC “Irish Artists’ pledge”, as of 11 August 2010:

Astrid Adler – Visual Artist, Musician, Mime artist
John Arden – Playwright, Novelist
Siobhán Armstrong – Musician
Derek Ball – Composer
Robert Ballagh – Visual Artist
Margo Banks – Painter
Cormac Begley – Musician
Liam Bradley – Musician
Diarmuid Breatnach – Musician, Poet
Cormac Breatnach – Musician
Cecily Brennan – Artist
Ronan Browne – Musician
Conor Byrne – Musician
Roisin Byrne – Visual artist
Séamas Cain – Poet, performance artist
Moya Cannon – Poet
Liam Carson – Scríbhneoir
Clare Cashman – Visual artist
Rhona Clarke – Composer
Siobhán Cleary – Composer
Mickey Coleman – Singer/songwriter
Joe Comerford – Film-maker
Dorothy Cross – Sculptor
Charles Cullen – Visual artist
Michael Cullen – Painter
Cindy Cummings – Dance Artist
Sinéad Cusack – Actor
Margaretta Darcy – Author and playwright
John F Deane – Writer
Raymond Deane – Composer
Seamus Deane – Author
Renate DeBrun – Painter/printmaker
Damien Dempsey – Singer
Tim Dennehy – Singer/Songwriter
Eoin Dillon – Ceoltóir
Keith Donald – Musician
Philip Donnery – Musician
Gráinne Dowling – Visual artist
Robert Doyle – Musician
Roger Doyle – Composer
Felim Egan – Visual artist
Martin A. Egan – Musician
Naisrín Elsafty – Singer
Róisín Elsafty – Singer
Elaine Feeney – Poet
Stephen Gardner – Composer
Anthony Glavin – Novelist and short story writer
Johnny Gogan – Film-maker
Carmel Gunning – Musician
Robbie Harris – Musician
Paul Hayes – Composer
Graham Henderson – Musician
Donogh Hennessy – Musician
Rita Ann Higgins – Poet
Michael Holohan – Composer
Andy Irvine – Musician
Ryan Johnson – Musician
Fergus Johnston – Composer
Fred Johnston – Poet
Trevor Joyce – Poet
Bernadette Kiely – Painter
Brian King – Sculptor
Vincent Kennedy – Composer
Trevor Knight – Music/Theatre
Conor Kostick – Novelist.
Gavin Kostick – Playwright
Dave Lordan – Poet
Donal Lunny – Musician
Pól MacAdaim – Singer/songwriter
Iarla Mac Aodha Bhuí – Scríbhneoir
Mickey MacConnell – Singer/Songwriter
Tony Mac Mahon – Musician
Lorcán Mac Mathúna – Singer
Brian Maguire – Visual artist
Alice Maher – Visual Artist
Brenda Malloy – Musician
Jimmy McCarthy – Singer/songwriter
Martin McElhinney – Musician
Joe McGowan – Author
Jackie McKenna – Sculptor
John McLachlan – Composer
Joleen McLaughlin (Henry) – Musician
Karen McLaughlin (Henry) – Musician
Lorna McLaughlin (Henry) – Musician
Tina Mc Laughlin- Singer/Songwriter
Eoin McLochlainn – Visual artist
John McSherry – Musician
Paul Meehan – Poet
Christy Moore – Musician
Thom Moore – Songwriter, writer/translator
Sharon (Shaz) Morgan – Musician, Photographer
Fiach Moriarty – Singer/Songwriter
Sami Moukkadem – Musician, film-maker, writer
Hassan Ould Muctar – Musician
Conor Mullan – Musician
Janet Mullarney – Visual artist
Gráinne Mulvey – Composer
Jimmy Murphy – Playwright
Niamh Ní Charra – Musician
Peadar Ó Ceannabháin – Singer
Saileog Ní Cheannabháin – Musician
Treasa Ní Cheannabháin – Singer
Áine Ní Chuaig – Musician
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh – Musician/Singer
Pádraig Ó Baoill – Scríbhneoir
Niall Ó Callanáin – Musician
Eamonn O’Doherty – Architect, Sculptor
Méabh O Hare – Musician/Film-maker
Jane O’Leary – Composer
Brian Ó hUiginn – Musician
Donal O’Kelly – Playwright/Actor
Ciarán Ó Maonaigh – Ceoltóir
Seosamh O Neachtain – Dancer
Eoin O’Neill – Musician
Jerry O’Reilly – Singer
Peadar Ó Riada – Ceoltóir
Gregory Rosenstock – Writer
Pauline Scanlon – Singer
Rossa Ó Snodaigh – Ceoltóir
Paul O’Toole – Singer/Songwriter
Michael Quane – Sculptor
Bob Quinn – Visual artist/filmmaker
Jim Ricks – Visual Artist
Stephen Rothschild – Painter/printmaker.
Mary Russell – Author
Dermot Seymour – Painter
John W. Sexton – Poet.
Eileen Sheehan – Poet
Ronan Sheehan – Novelist
Michael Smith – Poet and translator
Hugh Travers – Writer
Caoimhín Vallely – Ceoltóir
Laura Vecchi – Painter/writer
John Wakeman – Poet
Hilary Wakeman – Author
Hazel Walker – Visual artist
William Wall – Author
Ronan Wilmot – Actor/Director
Steve Woods – Film-maker
Adam Wyeth – Poet

LOS ANGELES, CA: Cypress Hill, Juanes, Conor Oberst, Los Tigres del Norte, Rage Against the Machine, Cafe Tacvba, Micheal Moore, Kanye West, Calle 13, Joe Satriani, Serj Tankian, Rise Against, Ozomatli, Sabertooth Tiger, Massive Attack, One Day as a Lion, Street Sweeper Social Club, Spank Rock, Sonic Youth and Tenacious D are the group of artists which have taken a stand for civil and human rights in a collective decision to boycott Arizona and to make a call to other artists to Boycott Arizona due to the passage of the law SB1070.

“Fans of our music, our stories, our films and our words can be pulled over and harassed every day because they are brown or black, or for the way they speak, or for the music they listen to.” explains Zack de la Rocha, lead vocalist for Rage against the Machine. The passage of Arizona’s SB 1070, is set to take effect on July 31st of this year, governor Jan Brewer has essentially legalized racial profiling. Under this unconstitutional and racist law, state authorities are given a mandate to use “reasonable suspicion” to anyone they assume to be in the state without documents.

More artists are to join, the boycott asks “artists the world over to stand with us, and not allow our collective economic power to be used to aid and abet civil and human rights violations that will be caused by Arizona’s odious law”.

Artists Against Apartheid stands in solidarity with the SoundStrike boycott of Arizona’s racist laws.

Roger Waters performs “We Shall Overcome” with G.E. Smith and Thor Jonsson

Video: Miguel Nogueira

I
Last night

they were slaughtered as I slept.
Their spines cracked under steel ravens
carrying raptures of ruthlessness.

This morning

there are no words like
beauty/ life/ love/ righteousness/dignity
only fear.

We wonder why

daughters grow up afraid of alleyways

children shake at the midnight whispers of wind

fathers wake at sounds of high pitched whistles

It is painful to dream of flying when
all those with wings have been
shot at or
shot down

These day murderers walk out of courtrooms
as easily as rapists do.

II
They murdered us.

Destroyed the schools.
Bombed the grocery store.
Cast Lead into the heads of children.

And we bought a boat.

Attempted to float ideas and aid
through Israel’s barbed wire blockades into
Gaza’s hearts segregated from humanity

and they murdered us
again
We will mourn, but not in silence.

III
Speak out
Speak loud
in every tongue
bang on system like drum
till rhythm other than war is found.

Fly kites embroidered with prescriptions for the wounded like
use newspaper as tourniquet
press slight below bullet wound to slow the gushing of blood to trickling flow
tie.
If paper tears rip your shirt
into strips of fabric.
Do not sleep or you may not wake.

Wake UP world
There is a two-part program for all allies of righteousness
a) Divest from Death
b) Invest in Life and loved ones.

I woke this morning next to mine
eyes fluttered open at image of her butterfly beauty
a pleasure that will never be indulged by nineteen souls again.
Wounded Knee warriors are welcoming them into the next world

IV
Dear friends:
I am tired of burying you.

Dear enemies and misguided allies:
Why do you look to the sea
when you are digging your own grave beneath your feet?

All First Nations live by the simplest of treaty
Treat me as you would want to be treated.
When broken, it is rewritten to read:
Today, we will bury our dead.
Tomorrow, we will bury you.
You pray for calm.
I pray for Karma.

Mark Gonzales
FB : /MarkGonzalesIS
Twitter: @MarkGonzalesIS
Email: humanwrites[at]gmail.com

(posted with permission)

Lowkey is speaking at one of many demonstrations around the world condemning the killings of at least 9 human rights activists aboard the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, one of six ships in the “Freedom Flotilla” aid convoy.  The names of those killed have not been released, and the surviving members of the flotilla were captured by Israeli forces along with the ships and their cargo for the people of Gaza:

“Israeli commandos have attacked a flotilla of aid-carrying ships off the coast of the Gaza Strip, killing at least nine people on board. Dozens of others were injured when troops raided the convoy of six ships, dubbed the Freedom Flotilla, early on Monday.” full story

The Song of Martin Fontasch/ Song of the Olive Tree (sung by Janet Russell)

The Last Chance/ They Said…/ Yafa! (lyrics by Mahmoud Salim al-Hout, music by Reem Kelani, sung by Reem Kelani)

My Father’s Jewish World/ The 3rd Intifada/ Loyal Soldiers (sung by Leon Rosselson)

Available at Amazon.com

All profits will benefit Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)

“It is after considerable contemplation that I have lately arrived at the decision that I must withdraw from the two performances scheduled in Israel on the 30th of June and the 1st of July.

One lives in hope that music is more than mere noise, filling up idle time, whether intending to elate or lament…”

[read full statement]

In an evolution of cultural boycott, 2010 began with Santana’s cancellation of his Tel Aviv concert due to “scheduling problems”.  Then Gil Scott-Heron quietly canceled his planned performance following continued disruptions at a UK concert.  Now, Elvis Costello has broken new ground in the cultural boycott stating it is “quite impossible to simply look the other way”.   Thank you Elvis Costello.

WHAT:
Adobe Youth Voices presents the World premiere of Youth Producing Change, an innovative program of youth-produced short films from across the globe showcased with the Human Rights Watch Film Festival. Eleven films will be shown this year, selected from over 250 international submissions.

SCREENING:
Friday, June 18, 2010
7:00pm
Film screening, and discussion with youth filmmakers. Reception to follow.

Saturday, June 19, 2010
1:00pm
Film screening, and discussion with youth filmmakers.

All screenings at Film Society of Lincoln Center Walter Reade Theater
165 West 65th Street, Upper Level (Between Broadway and Amsterdam)
Special ticket price – $7 ($12 regular)
*Tickets will go on sale May 20,2010

Hudud
Produced by 12 youth filmmakers from Camera-etc.
Occupied Palestinian Territories – 2008 – 8m – animation
In Arabic with English Subtitles
Being 16 in the Occupied Palestinian Territories today is to have one’s life dictated by curfews, clashes with soldiers at check points, arbitrary searches and arrests. Hudud (an Arabic word for restriction) illustrates the challenges that Israeli construction of the “separation barrier” or wall pose for Palestinian youth.

Because of the difficulties Palestinians face under military occupation in traveling around their own country, the Festival travels to its audiences.

PalFest 2010 will run from May 1st to 6th and will tour to Jerusalem, Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, Hebron and Ramallah.

PalFest aims to bring world class cultural events to Palestinian cities; to give Palestinian students access to some of the finest authors working today, and to create a forum for the exchange of ideas and stories between writers, readers and students.

This year’s events will feature performances by two members of Artists Against Apartheid: Tashweesh and Remi Kanazi.

Download the event calendar here.

Update: Watch message of solidarity from Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials trilogy.