Entertainment / Shows
HIFA organisers quizzed by Zimbabwe police
29 Apr 2011 at 10:35hrs | Views
Police in Zimbabwe on Thursday questioned the organizers of one of Africa's best-known arts festivals over the political content of one of the shows.
A lawyer for Harare International Festival of Arts artistic director Manuel Bagorro and executive director Maria Wilson confirmed the incident.
Beatrice Mtetwa said police arrived at the festival offices and ordered Bagorro Wilson to accompany them to Harare central police station.
The incident follows a series of arrests of play groups, artists, pro-democracy activists and ordinary people on suspicion of mocking President Robert Mugabe.
The festival opening performance featured dancers apparently representing the 87-year-old president and three of his cronies, discovering large diamonds to the song, I Want To Be A Billionaire So Freakin Bad, followed by a scene where police brutalize civilians.
To rapturous applause from the 5 000-strong audience in the Harare garden, the performance ended with a scene of an old man being driven out by people against the backdrop of the lyrics 'go, get out the door, you're not wanted any more, from the song.'
Festival sources who asked not to be named said Bagorro and Wilson were questioned for under an hour about the opening and what it was meant to portray.
'They have been released with no charge against them,' Mtetwa said.
'We were not arrested,' Bagorro said. 'We were called into a meeting of a type we have quite a lot around the festival with different partners and stakeholders.'
The festival, in its 12 consecutive year, has had several openings on similar bold themes, but Thursday's incident was the first time police have intervened.
The six-day show draws participants from all over the world and receives favourable reviews from international critics.
This year the event features a play dealing with attempts by families to cope with the lasting anguish of violence unleashed by Mugabe's militias. The cast has been arrested three times this year as they travelled with the play around the country.
Zimbabwe's law makes it an offence punishable by imprisonment to ridicule Mugabe.
A lawyer for Harare International Festival of Arts artistic director Manuel Bagorro and executive director Maria Wilson confirmed the incident.
Beatrice Mtetwa said police arrived at the festival offices and ordered Bagorro Wilson to accompany them to Harare central police station.
The incident follows a series of arrests of play groups, artists, pro-democracy activists and ordinary people on suspicion of mocking President Robert Mugabe.
The festival opening performance featured dancers apparently representing the 87-year-old president and three of his cronies, discovering large diamonds to the song, I Want To Be A Billionaire So Freakin Bad, followed by a scene where police brutalize civilians.
To rapturous applause from the 5 000-strong audience in the Harare garden, the performance ended with a scene of an old man being driven out by people against the backdrop of the lyrics 'go, get out the door, you're not wanted any more, from the song.'
'They have been released with no charge against them,' Mtetwa said.
'We were not arrested,' Bagorro said. 'We were called into a meeting of a type we have quite a lot around the festival with different partners and stakeholders.'
The festival, in its 12 consecutive year, has had several openings on similar bold themes, but Thursday's incident was the first time police have intervened.
The six-day show draws participants from all over the world and receives favourable reviews from international critics.
This year the event features a play dealing with attempts by families to cope with the lasting anguish of violence unleashed by Mugabe's militias. The cast has been arrested three times this year as they travelled with the play around the country.
Zimbabwe's law makes it an offence punishable by imprisonment to ridicule Mugabe.
Source - Byo24News
