CHOGM Beats

BRISBANE — Queensland's DJs, musicians, street performers and rappers have joined the long list of community groups that will be protesting at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October

They will protest in their own funky style on the evening of Saturday, October 6, at a "free and peaceful" concert, near the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Musgrave Park. The event will feature hip-hop group Native Rhyme Syndicate and promises to be an evening of funk, dub and hip-hop beats and grooves.

The "CHOGM Beats" party will be a great opportunity for activists and protesters to celebrate after the events earlier that day. It will highlight issues such as a treaty with indigenous Australians, Third World debt abolition and the elimination of human rights abuses and environmental destruction.

DJ Steve Bourne, DJ Rainman, DJ Two Dee and songwriter Daniel Franks will join Native Rhyme Syndicate and guest rappers.

"DJs have an important role to play at the CHOGM protests", said Elliott Sanchez, one of the organisers of the event. "They can create an uplifting atmosphere as the community reclaims their space."

Franks said that "issues such as Third World debt, a treaty with indigenous Australians, corporate globalisation, environmental destruction and human rights abuses can at times seem overwhelming. But the first step is to place these predominantly negative issues in a positive context.

"As a group of socially conscious DJ's, rappers and musicians, we feel compelled to stand up and voice our concern around these issues."

CHOGM Beats is presented in association with the CHOGM Action Network, Jubilee Australia, Stop CHOGM and the Aboriginal Tent Embassy.

From GLW issue 465