Ooberfuse playing live at BPCA's Trafalgar Square Concert 10th March 2012
The
3rd anniversary of Asia Bibi’s death row imprisonment will be marked by a peace rally and concert outside the
Pakistani Embassy in London on 12pm, Thursday 14th June 2012.
On
14th June 2009 Asia Bibi, mother of five, was condemned to death by hanging by a Pakistani court. Her
crime was to refuse to convert to Islam, holding firm to her Christian faith in
the face of aggressive solicitations from Muslim
interlocutors.
Interspersed between musical contributions from Pakistani
singer/songwriter, Hammad Bailey and East-meets-West band, ooberfuse, there will
be readings from Asia’s autobiography,
translated into English for the first time and the first public performance of new single ‘Free Asia
Bibi.’
In
her autobiography Asia says : ‘My world was turned upside down one day in June.
The day should have been like any other. When I woke up in the morning I never
imagined that this Sunday would change my life forever. June 14th is etched on
my mind. I still recall all the details’.
Wilson Chowdhry from the British Pakistani Christian
Association says : ‘Until Asia Bibi is freed from the hellish prison where
she has spent the last 3 years we should use all the opportunities we have in
the UK to speak out on her behalf and for all those whose political and
religious freedoms are compromised in any way’.
Hal
St.John, from ooberfuse, says : ‘Translating Asia’s autobiography into
English has brought vividly to life the nightmare ordeal she and her family have
been subjected to over the last 3 years. It is difficult for Western people like
me, who take their religious freedoms so much for granted, to fully comprehend
the violent and dark forces that can be at work elsewhere. For example, the
Governor of Punjab, Salmaan
Taseer, was
assassinated by a member of his security team because of his defence of Bibi.
Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Minorities, met a similar fate
for saying that we should “not kill in the name of religion, but love one
another.”
Front-woman for ooberfuse Cherrie Anderson says : ‘we hope
that the song Free Asia Bibi, performed in conjunction with Hammad
Bailey, will help to spread the word about the grave injustice Asia and
others like her are enduring today around the world.’
Asia
Bibi
(Urdu: آسیہ نو رین) is a Pakistani
Christian
woman who was convicted of
blasphemy by a Pakistani court,
receiving a sentence of death by hanging. The
verdict, which would need to be upheld by a superior court, has received
worldwide attention. If executed, Noreen would be the first woman in Pakistan to
be lawfully killed for blasphemy. Christian minister Shahbaz
Bhatti and
Pakistani government politician Salmaan
Taseer were
both killed for opposing the blasphemy laws.
14th June
2012 Peace Concert and
rally is organised to mark the 3rd anniversary of Asia Bibi’s
imprisonment. Attendees gather at the Pakistani Embassy in Lowndes Square,
London, at 12.00pm for the concert and protest. The event is organised by
the British Pakistani Christian Association, Hammad Bailey and
ooberfuse.
Hammad Bailey
(www.myspace.com/hammadbaily) is a
professional artist from Pakistan (Hammad Farooq). Hammad began singing at the
age of 7, learning semi-classical Asian vocals and the Harmonium and Tabla from
the age of 13. He started learning guitar at the age of 19 and also studied
classical vocals. Hammad has completed a Higher Dimploma in Popular Music at the
Institute of Contemporary Music Performance in London. Hammad has a Bachelor in
Arts from University of Punjab and a Bachelor in Divinity after attending
Seminary classes for three years. Whilst happiest leading on guitar, Hammad
sequences many instruments and beats using his much loved Korg Triton Extreme
keyboard (nicknamed Kelly).
ooberfuse (www.ooberfuse.com) is
an experimental music project led by Cherrie and Hal. They share a common vision
to infuse the increasingly moribund traditions of western pop with fresh eastern
vigour. By refusing the standard conventions that determine the contemporary pop
scene they invite their audience to rediscover ooberfuse-iasm not just for
contemporary pop but for life itself!
Great stuff Shafiq!
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