Today we're celebrating the international Music Freedom Day, which was founded to draw attention to acts of censoring music and oppressing musicians. Music Freedom Day is an event initiated by the watchdog organisation Freemuse, which is going today to present the Embassy of Cameroon in Paris with the petition for freeing Labiro de Mbanga. Labiro de Mbanga was sentenced in September 2008 to three days of prison and 640 000 USD fine for alleged participation in riots. It is considered, however, that the real reason for Mbanga's arrest was the song „Constitution Constipee”, in which Lapiro criticised the changes in the constitution after President Paul Biya had abolished the limitation on the tenure of office of the head of state and, in so doing, extended his term of office, which has lasted for 35 years now. CDs and DVDs with Labiro de Mbanga's song were confiscated in Cameroon, but you can still listen to them at http://www.myspace.com/musiccensorship

The problem of oppressing musicians is present all over the world. According to radical Muslims music should be thoroughly prohibited. In Pakistan, between 2006 and 2009, bombs have been planted in 800 music shops. In Afghanistan the Talibs have introduced a total ban on listening and performing music. Censorship in music includes also oppressing ethnic groups, members of which are cultivating their traditions. For example, the Kurds in Turkey or in Syria get arrested for singing traditional Kurd songs at the weddings.

Yesterday members of the Indeks 73 Inititive – Agnieszka Kaim and Lidia Makowska - took part in the debate on free music and freedom in music organised by Tomek Lipski, LWSM “Morena” Cultural Centre. Other participants of the debate were Jacek Staniszewski - an artist, Grzegorz Welizarowicz – a musician and Michał Jaśkiewicz – a member of Samba Rhythms of Resistance group.



The participants of the debate presented the concept of the Music Freedom Day and the goals of the Freemuse activities. They pointed out music is a human right. Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees everybody the right of free participation in cultural life and free access to art. The debate covered also such topics as local cases of restraining artistic freedom (eg. 'the Behemoth case'), as well as acts of comercialising and subjugating music by the phonographic industry.


The debate ended with a concert by Samba Rhythms of Resistance, the members of which are protesting against exploitation, violence and discrimination.


Agnieszka Kaim
Photos: Dominik Krzymiński
Translation: Małgorzata Głombiowska

Read more (in Polish):
Roman Pawłowski, Gazeta Wyborcza, Zakazane piosenki
Łukasz Stafiej w rozmowie z Agnieszką Kaim, MMtrojmiasto, Co ma wspólnego Behemoth z kurdyjskimi weselami?