Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa asks Fat Freddy’s Drop to withdraw from Sydney Festival
On Friday PSNA wrote to Fat Freddy’s Drop asking the Kiwi supergroup to withdraw from their scheduled 18 January performance at the Sydney Festival.
So far more than 25 acts have either withdraw or distanced themselves from the festival in protest over a $20,000 donation from Israel’s Australian embassy to support Sydney Dance Company’s production of Decadance by Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin.
In accepting this donation, the Sydney Festival is using the Israeli Government Ministry of Foreign Affairs logo in festival promotional material and is aligning itself directly with the racist, apartheid state of Israel.
This is an affront to Palestinians who have called on the international community for BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel until Israel ends its occupation of Palestinian land, repeals its apartheid laws which discriminate against Palestinian citizens of Israel and allows Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and land in Palestine.
The festival boycott is growing with stories here, here, here, here and here.
“Aotearoa New Zealand must join the boycott. The Sydney Festival is no place for any self-respecting Kiwi act” says PSNA National Chair John Minto.
The boycott approach to Israel was strongly supported by Nobel Peace prize winner and South African Archbishop, Desmond Tutu, who died two weeks ago.
“We are urging Fat Freddy’s Drop to show respect for the Palestinian struggle and pull out”
“We know this won’t be easy or comfortable but it’s the right thing – and the only decent thing – to do”
The festival’s main organiser is former All Black captain David Kirk and PSNA is also approaching him to reject the Israeli regime sponsorship of the event.
Good luck getting Kirk to shift his position. He’s been a tory all his life, and no bunch of “hairy, knuckle dragging commies” are going to make him turn his back on his own.. It was “his people” that set up the paradigm that had kiwis having to pay to see their own team play on tv.. I know dozens of people who haven’t watched, or even bothered to get the results for years because they resent being gouged by people who already have more money then Croesus… I’m one of them .. I had to live in Australia before I ever saw them play, and had to put up with juvenile, and utterly one eyed “commentary” from the local talking heads… Not that the kiwi commentators are much better, with the “fourth loose forward” Marshall spending the whole game sucking up to the opposition… FFD should boycott this event. The Aussies have tin ears when it comes to the welfare of “brown people” and the proportions that utterly believe the propaganda used to justify the atrocity that is being perpetrated right under our noses is disappointing to say the least.. This event needs to face total collapse, or they won’t do any more than use the withdrawals as examples of “outsiders” dictating terms to them.. The locals will eat that up with relish..
There is one breath of fresh air if Kirk’s morality hasn’t been bought with Zionist shekels. A Google search comes up with, “….. and when the planned 1986 All Black tour to South Africa was cancelled David (KIrk) and John Kirwan were the only two players to refuse to join the rebel “Cavaliers” team on moral grounds—he felt that it would give comfort to the apartheid regime.” After all, one of a myriad of performers would be no great loss whereas, already over 25 acts have already pulled out on moral grounds.
Presumably the ghost of Demond Tutu will keep Kirk awake at night if he has lost his morality.
Has David Kirk sold out for 30 pieces of silver at the expense of losing 25 and increasing number of acts?
“…. when the planned 1986 All Black tour to South Africa was cancelled David (Kirk) and John Kirwan were the only two players to refuse to join the rebel “Cavaliers” team on moral grounds—he felt that it would give comfort to the apartheid regime.”
One would hope not, but then, he may have no choice given the tentacles of the Zionist regime.
Over 30 acts have now withdrawn from the Sydney Festival and still counting. Was the bribe worth taking?