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Stormzy to perform at Gaza & Sudan benefit concert

Artists including Stormzy, Clairo, Faye Webster and Omar Apollo are set to appear at a benefit concert in the US to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza and Sudan.

Artists for Aid will take place at Newark Symphony Hall in New Jersey on 4 January.

The event is being organised by Sudanese-Canadian poet and singer-songwriter Mustafa Ahmed, who will also perform on the night, with proceeds going to Canada-based not-for-profit relief organisation Human Concern International.

“We worked tirelessly to bring this to you, but our fatigue is not even a splinter of what we’ll be singing for,” says Ahmed on Instagram. “In the last few years I visited both my homeland, Sudan, and Palestine. My visit to both had a principal intention, to connect with artist communities, with young organisers – for parallels of sorrow and hope and faith. The violence in both nations seized the dream.

“Here it is revived for me in someway. The intention remains, on this evening we give our voices to make room for theirs.”

Human Concern International says that donations will be split 50/50 between Sudan and Gaza

Other acts lined up to perform include 6LACK, Charlotte Day Wilson, Daniel Caesar, Mohammed El Kurd, Nick Hakim, Ramy Youssef and 070 Shake. Tickets are priced $150.

“I want to thank each artist performing from the deepest part of me, for your time and effort,” adds Ahmed. “None of you hesitated when asked. We’ll remember.”

A post by Human Concern International says that donations will be split 50/50 between Sudan and Gaza.

“We are excited to be the charity partner for this event and will make sure your support is delivered to the people of Gaza and Sudan,” it says.

 


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Tear gas attack at Sudanese show

Local police have blamed Islamist militants for a tear gas attack on a concert in the Sudan.

Two canisters of tear gas were fired into the audience during a show by Sudanese singer Nada Galaa at a cinema in New Halfa, in the state of Kassala.

Galaa (pictured), who told the El Mustagilla newspaper police were forced to intervene to protect her and her band, accused the perpetrators of attempting to “cause a schism between the religious communities and I”.

Dabanga Radio reports local Islamist groups had previously demanded the cancellation of the concert, touring the city with loudspeakers and even going to so far as to issue a fatwa, or Islamic legal ruling, prohibiting Galaa (also Ghalah, Al Galaa) singing.

Roughly 97% of Sudanese are Muslim. Despite past ties to Islamic extremism (it at one time offered a safe haven to Osama bin Laden and members of Hamas), Sudan now cooperates with Western intelligence agencies against groups such as Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, with its ambassador to the US, Maowia Osman Khalid, recently describing the African country as “a close partner with the United States in counterterrorism around the globe”.

 


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