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Police bar protest album release
Zim-Online
May 14, 2005

http://www.zimonline.co.za/headdetail.asp?ID=9726

HARARE – Zimbabwean police have used harsh censorship laws to stop local civic organisations from launching and distributing a protest music album calling for a new and democratic constitution and also castigating state brutality against political opponents.

A spokeswoman of the National Constitutional Assembly, a coalition of churches, labour, civic rights and opposition political parties that is behind the music album had told her organisation that they could only allow the release of the music after it is approved by the state Censorship Board.

She said: "We have no choice but to postpone. The police said we could not go ahead with the launch and distribution of the album until it has been approved by the Censorship Board. We find it unacceptable that music has to be banned in a supposedly democratic country."

The launch of the protest music album had been scheduled for last night after the police had on Wednesday appeared to have agreed to its release.

The Censorship Board, manned by government ideologues, vets and approves information and publications such as films, music and books before they can be released to the public.

Manjome said: "We are told that the censorship board would only approve the distribution of the album if they find the content to be desirable. So we are not optimistic that our project will be approved because they are likely to be offended by the content. You know in Zimbabwe, the authorities want people to listen to material that pleases the government."

Mugabe and his ruling ZANU PF party have ruthlessly clamped down on divergent voices and dissension as their hold on power has come under increasing challenge from the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change party.

Several songs by Zimbabwe’s most popular musician, Thomas Mapfumo and other artists have been banned from radio and national television because they were deemed too critical of the government.

Four newspapers, including the country’s largest circulating non government-owned daily, the Daily News, remain off the newsstands after they were banned by the government in the last two years.

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