Malian Artists Play for Unity in Mali

Malian musicians return home to try and do their bit in restoring peace to their war-torn country.

Published

4 months ago

Categories

Arts & Society

Topics

Arts & Culture, Africa

People

Fatoumata Diawara

Places

Mali

Transcript

SHOTLIST: BAMAKO, JANUARY 17, 2012, SOURCE: AFPTV - VAR artists showing the music video of song for the first time SOUNDBITE 1, Fatoumata Diawara (woman) Malian artist (French, 14 sec): "For the first time I thought it's good to go and fight and to defend Mali. But the country needs us. For once, we must go back home and in turn take care of ourselves." - VAR artists showing the music video of song for the first time SOUNDBITE 2, Fatoumata Diawara (woman) Malian artist (French, 17 sec): "We are worried. We are very very worried not to be able to carry on singing because in the North, women are not only raped, but beaten or badly treated. On top of that they want to stop us from singing when it is known that music is the soul of Mali." - VAR Malians artists who played the song SOUNDBITE 3, Fatoumata Diawara (woman) Malian artist (French, 10 sec): "Let it be known that we are afraid. Today, Malian people are very worried. We are in the process of losing our own country." - VAR Fatoumata Diawara /// --------------------------------------------