SENEGAL: Award winning Senegalese musician Youssou N'dour collaborates with a singer from the Central African Republic to produce a song for peace that calls for and inspires an end to religious and political conflict in CAR

Record ID: 349825

  • Title: SENEGAL: Award winning Senegalese musician Youssou N'dour collaborates with a singer from the Central African Republic to produce a song for peace that calls for and inspires an end to religious and political conflict in CAR
  • Date: 28th January 2014
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (French)YOUSSOU N'DOUR, SENEGALESE MUSICIAN, SAYING: "Here in Senegal for example when there are Muslim festivals, Christians often attend, and vice versa when christians have their own festivals, we are all friends and we attend each others festivals. We need to stop seeing this as a problem but rather as an opportunity, a chance."
  • Embargoed: 12th February 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Senegal
  • Country: Senegal
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVA75SWHDMVDD3U8BF1A25O5HKQV
  • Story Text: "Look at the courageous spirit in the eyes of every child; children of Senegal, let's all walk towards the promised land. We have dried the rivers that were washing the blood of our enemies. You pray to Buddha, Allah or Jehovah, one God for you and me, Christians and Muslims on this earth, all of us have the same blood, look in the eyes of your brother and you will hear the voice of your mother."
    These are the lyrics of Senegalese music icon, Youssou Ndour's latest song which he hopes will help bring back peace in Central African Republic, a country that has been torn apart by inter-religious violence.
    Joining forces with Central African Republic singer, Idylle Mamba, the Grammy winning musician with over 20 albums under his belt hopes the song will help unite the people of Central Africa.

    "When something happens in Central Africa, it concerns everyone, from Dakar to Johannesburg. Just like if something happens in Dakar, it concerns the whole of Africa, and music has always been there to allow people to come together because music comes from the heart, but can also bring joy to people's hearts. That's how I came up with this idea, which I share with many, who believe that we need to make a contribution to end this crisis," he said.
    Almost 1 million people, or a quarter of the population in the mineral-rich country, have been displaced by fighting that began when mainly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in the majority Christian former French colony last March.
    Christian self-defense groups, known as "anti-balaka", or anti-machete, have since taken up arms against them. The U.N. has estimated that more than 2,000 people have been killed since March.
    For Mamba, who has been affected by the conflict personally, working with an esteemed and respected artist such as N'dour will help spread the message wide world.

    "As someone who comes from Central Africa, as a singer from Central Africa, I am profoundly saddened by everything that has happened, which is why I am here in Senegal today, to share with the maestro of African music, Youssou N'dour to make this song which will help pass on the message for peace, asking for a return for peace in Central Africa," she said.
    N'dour, a muslim who is also known to be a champion for humanitarian and social issues said a collaboration with Mamba, a Christian will show people that diversity in religion should be celebrated rather than being used as a tool for division.

    "Here in Senegal for example when there are Muslim festivals, Christians often attend, and vice versa when christians have their own festivals, we are all friends and we attend each others festivals. We need to stop seeing this as a problem but rather as an opportunity a chance," he added.
    Central African Republic lawmakers recently chose former Bangui mayor, Catherine Samba-Panza as interim president, in the hope that she can lead the country out of months of sectarian violence.
    But the international community has expressed concern with the escalation in clashes in the capital Bangui, after eight people were killed in mob violence on Sunday (January 26).
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