...Remembering Palestinewww.psc.za.orgAmandla IntifadaThe occupation of Palestinian territories, and the recent 2009 Gaza massacre, as part of Israel’s sustained genocidal campaign against the people of Palestine is a brutal reality - one which demands all peace loving people to respond with outrage. For South Africans, the response translates into joining the global call for Boycotts, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS), a strategy which proved successful in collapsing SA’s oppressive apartheid regime.
In the context of the siege of Gaza, two stalwart protest artists, Faizel Boorany and Jeremy Karodia , in their long-held practise of music as an agent of social change and political resistance , approached the Palestinian Solidarity Committee to lend their voices to the BDS campaign. In an impractically short period of time, with simple tools of creativity and a fervent need to voice their support for the Palestinians, the Amandla Intifada album was produced to express South African support for the Palestinian people through the BDS campaign. The AlbumThe conceptualisation of the Amandla Intifada album was prompted through the revival and rework of the song 'Lament for Palestine', composed in 1982 by Faizel in response to the horrific Sabra and Shatila massacre. Almost thirty years later, the song’s relevance reveals an ongoing indictment of Israel’s sustained aggression on the people of Palestine.
Intended to be released as a single track, 'Lament for Palestine', in its production stage, revealed its collaborative appeal. Jeremy Karodia , while producing the song with lead vocalists, Emaan Haswaray, Aaliya Ismail and Yasaar Kamaar, was approached by another artist, Abu Zayd who was keen to contribute a composition entitled “Rise and Fall”, thus lending to the idea of a complete album. This was followed by “Amandla Intifada” composed by a group called “what if...?”. Karodia further added and produced his own composition entitled “Burnt Humus” performed by his band The Mavr!x . The result is a collage of songs and poems themed in the resolute strand of solidarity with the people of Palestine. The last song "Promised Land” was taken from the album “Guantanamo Bay” by The Mavr!x.
Karodia, as producer and driving force behind the album, further exploited his network of contacts and secured sponsorship for the publication of the album from various sources. The artwork design was created and sponsored by Jawid Hassim while the printing of the CD cover and sponsoring thereof was by Gravity Printers. Grant Ketzin mixed and mastered the album.
Contributions flowed based on the proposal that the album would be distributed for free with voluntary donations welcomed. It was agreed that any proceeds from the album would be used to fund the work of the PSC in their campaigns to promote the cause of the Palestinian people.
We will not forgetSignificant also is the presence of children’s voices on the album. Their involvement was voluntary and self-initiated, when they expressed their horror and sadness at the scenes of utter devastation and carnage they witnessed on news reports regarding the brutal assault on Gaza. The similarity of the oppression experienced by the Palestinian people through the crippling occupation and that of the history of South Africa during the apartheid regime, gleaned through their text books and from elders, was not lost on these young South Africans neither was the stark contrast of their comfortable ‘normal’ lives in relation to that of the arduous struggle that Palestinian children face daily.
The exhortation, “We Will Not Forget “, is an especially poignant message that the album seeks to instil in the listener, and supporters of the Palestinian struggle.
May we never forget the loss of lives, the suffering and pain, and the broken dreams of Gaza. May we never forget our commitment of solidarity with the resilient Palestinian people in their just struggle .
Fatima Rahiman - Jan, 2009   Support Michael Heart's beautiful 'Song for Gaza': http://www.michaelheart.com/Song_for_Gaza.html faizel's meander |