Macklemore cancels Dubai show over UAE role in Sudan war
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The US rapper explained that until "UAE stops arming and funding the RSF, I will not perform there."
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Macklemore wearing the jersey of Chilean footballl club Deportivo Palestino (X photo)
US rapper Macklemore has declared that he will postpone an upcoming gig in Dubai due to the UAE's role in the Sudanese crisis, which the Gulf state denies.
On Saturday, the rapper who in May released a pro-Palestine "Hind's Hall," announced the news in a social media post citing he has decided to cancel his October show.
The song is a tribute to the Gaza campus encampments and protests and is named after Hind's Hall at Columbia University, which had been called Hamilton Hall but was renamed by the protesters after the martyred six-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed by the IOF in Gaza.
"Over the last several months I've had a number of people reach out to me, sharing resources and asking me to cancel the show in solidarity with the people of Sudan," stated the rapper.
Macklemore cancels his show in Dubai to boycott the UAE in solidarity with the people of Sudan. pic.twitter.com/kKHgAHRotA
— African News feed. (@africansinnews) August 25, 2024
He explained that the current situation in Sudan is "urgent, horrific and it's going largely unnoticed globally," adding that until the "UAE stops arming and funding the RSF, I will not perform there."
UAE militarily involved in Sudan War, evidence uncovered: The Guardian
Last month, leaked documents seen by The Guardian suggested that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is covertly involved in the Sudan war.
A 41-page report sent to the UN Security Council and seen by the outlet includes images of Emirati passports allegedly linked to soldiers of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The UAE has previously denied supplying arms to the RSF, which is besieging El Fasher in a broader campaign of ethnic cleansing in Darfur. However, the documents imply that Emirati personnel are assisting in the conflict, potentially escalating the 15-month-long civil war between the RSF and the Sudanese military.
Passports were reportedly found in Omdurman, a city near Khartoum that was recently reclaimed by the Sudanese army from the RSF.
Analysts describe this discovery as a "smoking gun" challenging the UAE's denials and raising questions about the knowledge and response of the US and UK regarding the Gulf state's involvement.
Cameron Hudson, a former US government advisor on Sudan, stated that this would compel Washington to acknowledge and respond to the situation. Some experts believe that without the UAE's involvement, the conflict, which spurred a severe humanitarian crisis, might already be resolved.
The leaked document also indicates that the UAE has supplied the RSF with drones modified to drop thermobaric bombs, which are more devastating than conventional explosives.
Photographs of four passports belonging to UAE nationals and two Yemeni passports were included in the report. These passports were reportedly recovered from the wreckage of a vehicle in Omdurman.
The UAE has long-held interests in the region, particularly in Sudan, which is strategically located in both North Africa and the Horn of Africa.
On the military front, the RSF has played a crucial role in regional conflicts, including the conflict in Yemen, where they have fought alongside the UAE and Saudi forces against the Yemeni resistance.
