On this page we, the members of gayghana.org, will draft an open letter to the management of the Accra radio station that is hosting the Blakk Rasta show. Meanwhile there will be a poll on this page where members can vote if we should send this letter to the management and the media (newspapers, radio stations) or not. If the letter is completed and a large majority of the voters are in favour of sending the letter, we will make it happen.
When voting, please also consider the consequences of the publicity we may get (positive and negative).

Can we also think about a back up plan as I don't believe the station will be particularly scared by us:
1. enlisting the support of the international community (petitions, letter writing, emails, etc)
2. contacting the sponsors of the show and asking for their opinion on the promotion of hate and how they think this may damage the image of their products.

Our member Hamsweet has indicated that the sole sponsor at this moment is: Tinatec Herbal Center; lets send them a letter.

Other main advertisers / sponsors:

• Africa International University College, Assemblies Junction, Adenta
• Kingdom Herbal Centre
• FM Beauty and Wellness Centre, Tema Roundabout
• Pentacost University
• Multi TV (I think this is what they said)
• Adisadel College, Hilltop, Cape Coast http://www.adisadelcollege.net/

Quotes:
22 Oct 2009, 12:47 "bloodclot battyboy (his usual comment)
26 Oct 2009, 12:10 Made anti-gay comments

12:27 - 12:57 Played Battyman song repeatedly. Said "homosexuals are taking over our land".
During this period he seemed obsessed by the issue.

Good idea; se fact check to do's above.

Now check this out: Blakk Rasta banned from 2009 music awards because of insulting behaviour.

Also check this out: comments on a gay bashing radio item on Joy FM about a Takoradi gay party.

Start draft letter:

To the management
Hitz FM
P.O. Box 17013
Accra - North
+233-21-226838
+23...


Accra, date

SUBJECT: BROADCASTING OF HOMOPHOBIC HATE SPEECHES BY BLAKK RASTA

Dear Sir/Madam,

The members of gayghana.com, a virtual civil society organisation, summon (or urge?) you to stop the programme of the so-called "Blakk Rasta" presentor (or show-host) immediately.

The show host "Blakk Rasta" is using your radio station to instigate violence and hatred against homosexual and bisexual citizens in Ghana. Although unfortunately a majority of the Ghanaian population, still disapproves of homosexual acts, the radio station management should be aware that inciting hate and violence is illegal. And it is unbecoming to misuse the Media - which are playing such an important role in the public education and democratic process in a country, for these illegal purposes.

Whilst in Ghana's laws (a relic of the colonial past) homosexuals are persecuted rather than protected against discrimination, a United Nations motion has been tabled recently to impress upon countries with discriminatory or insufficiently protective legislation, to respect the universal human rights and decriminalise homosexuality. Thus the international community is trying to make the - mostly sub-saharan African - states which are still in early stages of a process of democratisation, aware that universal human rights include the rights of all people, so also those of homo- and bisexual citizens.

Not withstanding the fact that the Ghana laws are not yet in line with the international treaties on Human Rights signed by its representatives, and ratified by its parliament, the International criminal court in The Hague does prosecute (even if it may be years later) those who incite violence. This also includes the media, as has been shown by the conviction of the people responsible for the hate speeches on the Mille Collines radio station in Rwanda during the genocide, who can not hide behind the "freedom of the press" if they are involving themselves in illegal activities.

The issue of whether your station policy is against or for homosexuality is not the issue we wish to raise with you. The issue is whether you agree with promoting hate and violence in a public forum such as your station. This issue we will also discuss with the companies sponsoring your radio station.

As the management of the radio station you are responsible for the content of the programmes you broadcast. That means you are liable for the illegal incitement to violence by "Blakk Rasta" (and for the open promotion of use of illegal substances (wee) by the same show host).

We call upon you to put an immediate stop to these illegal practices and publicly denounce the station managements support of the statements made on your station by "Blakk Rasta".

On behalf of the gayghana.org members,

Cordially,



Who is going to sign this?

Black Rasta to entertain Barak Obama during visit to Ghana

Ghana's choise to have the most vocal homophobic hate monger of Ghana Media to entertain Gay Rights Promotor President Barak Obama is a slap in the face of human rights activists.

It clearly demonstrates the inability of Ghana's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to recognize the commitment of President Obama to consequently promote Gay rights as being Human Rights. To associate especially this President of the United States of America with a gay-bashing Rasta who produces a constant flow of hate speeches and calls for violence against gays is an insult.

Blakk Rasta in a pose with President Barack Hussein Obama It was an experience he had been yearning for, a moment his fans had been craving to witness – that time to meet with the first black president of the United States of America, Barack Obama. Ghana’s Reggae music icon Blakk Rasta had a one-on-one interaction with the world’s most powerful man, he told Myjoyonline.
Blakk Rasta was among a cross-section of Ghanaians who had breakfast with Mr Obama at the Osu Castle Gardens on Saturday.
Certainly, the song that has given Blakk Rasta the thrust to that “moment of glory” – as he loves to describe it – is his popular Barack Obama track which topped the Reggae music charts across the continent in the lead up to the 2008 US presidential elections. The song Barack Obama whose main refrain is a lyrical rendition of Mr Obama’s name, was the theme song for the occasion and had a way of staying in the heads of the visitors long after they had left, the New York Times
“This is a moment of glory, when your toil and hard work is rewarded,” Blakk Rasta told Myjoyonline of the song he says was By Divine Hand. Mr Obama granted the Reggae musician and DJ at Multimedia Group a photo opportunity after a warm embrace.
“Thanks for that inspirational song. It urged me on to victory,” the US President is said to have told Blakk Rasta.
Blakk Rasta is hopeful, that another promise by Obama for the two to meet again, will come to pass. Blakk Rasta received great international media attention during the visit of Obama, granting interviews to networks such as the VOA, German Television, CNN, the BBC and a host of others. He has been doing music for years but the launch in 2000 of his album Rasta Shrine was what really launched him into the real stardom, he said.
Since then, Blakk has launched five more albums with his latest African Rebel making interesting inroads on the reggae music charts. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com The Song Barack Obama reported on Sunday.

Despite the fact that the content of this page had been mailed to the US Embassy in Accra prior to the Presidents visit, they did not publicly distance themselves from Blakk Rasta's hate speeches and homophobic media campaign.