Macklemore Cancels Dubai Show, Citing UAE’s Support for Sudan Paramilitary Forces

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — American rapper Macklemore has canceled his upcoming October concert in Dubai, citing the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) involvement “in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis” in Sudan through its alleged support of the paramilitary force engaged in conflict with government troops.

Macklemore’s announcement brought renewed focus to the UAE’s role in the strife enveloping the African nation. Although the UAE has consistently denied providing arms to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) or assisting its leader, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, United Nations experts reported “credible” evidence in January suggesting that the UAE had been supplying weapons to the RSF via northern Chad.

In mid-April 2023, Sudan descended into chaos as long-standing tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders erupted in the capital, Khartoum, subsequently spreading to other regions, including Darfur. It is estimated that over 18,800 people have perished in the conflict, with more than 10 million forced to flee their homes. Hundreds of thousands stand on the brink of famine.

During a heated U.N. Security Council meeting in June, Sudan’s beleaguered government directly accused the UAE of arming the RSF, sparking a bitter exchange with an Emirati diplomat who admonished his Sudanese counterpart to cease “grandstanding.” Despite the accusations, the UAE remains involved in ongoing peace talks aimed at ending the hostilities.

Macklemore’s public statement on Sunday received no immediate response from the Emirati Foreign Ministry or Dubai’s Media Office. Last week, event organizers had announced the cancellation of the Dubai show, promising ticket refunds but providing no reason for the cancellation at that time.

In a Saturday Instagram post, Grammy award-winning Macklemore disclosed that numerous individuals had urged him to cancel the concert in solidarity with the Sudanese people and to boycott business with the UAE over its reported involvement in the humanitarian crisis.

Macklemore noted that his decision was influenced by his recent public support of Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. He has started performing a song titled “Hind’s Hall,” dedicated to Hind Rajab, a young girl fatally shot in Gaza, with Palestinians attributing her death to Israeli forces.

“I know that this will probably jeopardize my future shows in the area, and I truly hate letting any of my fans down,” he expressed. “I was really excited too. But until the UAE stops arming and funding the RSF, I will not perform there.”

He further added, “I have no judgment against other artists performing in the UAE. But I do ask the question to my peers scheduled to play in Dubai: If we used our platforms to mobilize collective liberation, what could we accomplish?”

The RSF originated from the Janjaweed fighters under former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who ruled for thirty years before being ousted in a popular uprising in 2019. Al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and other crimes linked to the Darfur conflict in the 2000s.

Dubai, a city renowned for its long-haul carrier Emirates, the Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building), and other tourist attractions, has long attempted to attract A-list performers to its brand-new arena and other venues. Yet, past incidents have highlighted the complexities of holding performances in the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms where free speech is heavily regulated.

This includes American comedian Dave Chappelle, who drew attention in May in Abu Dhabi by referring to the Israel-Hamas conflict as a “genocide,” while also joking about the UAE’s extensive surveillance measures.

Macklemore, a 41-year-old rapper born Benjamin Hammond Haggerty in Kent, Washington, achieved Grammy recognition in 2014 for his breakout hit, “Thrift Shop.”

Source: AP News