IFC NewsList - April 2000
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| 04 25
00 - Seanchai to Sue BBC
04 25 00 - The Irish Freedom Committee at the Conference on World Affairs |
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IRISH FREEDOM COMMITTEE NEWSLIST ----------------------------- Subject: Seanchai to Sue BBC Date: April 25, 2000 ------------------------------ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM UNITY RECORDS: April 25, 2000 Contact: Russell Smith at (212) 460-5518 or Eamonn Dornan at (212) 780-1946 BROOKLYN RAPPER SUES BBC Brooklyn rapper and Irish-American hip-hop artist Chris Byrne, familiar to Irish music fans as Seanchai (pronounced shan-a-kee), and as a founder of the Irish musical group, Black 47, has brought a multimillion dollar legal action in the Federal District Court in Manhattan against the British Broadcasting Corporation, in what promises to be a controversial lawsuit. The action arises from a BBC "Spotlight" documentary about an alleged Florida-based IRA gun-running operation. In its program, the BBC misappropriated Byrne's copyrighted musical recording, "Fenians," without license or permission. But the issues go much deeper than standard copyright infringement. By taking Byrne’s instantly recognizable voice and musical work, the BBC has caused Byrne to be unwillingly associated with a British media company, and an anti-Irish message, both of which Byrne has long opposed. According to Byrne, he is just the latest casualty in the BBC's long propaganda war against those who oppose British policy in the North of Ireland. This particular battle, however, will be fought in an American courtroom, and it is one that Byrne is determined to win. The offending broadcast was originally aired on BBC Northern Ireland on October 5, 1999. The program purported to show that the alleged gunrunning activities of a group of Irish nationals in Florida were proof that the current IRA cease-fire was bogus in nature. Broadcast at a time when extremely delicate peace talks were under way, the program’s content bolstered the demands of pro-British politicians that Irish Republicans be excluded from those negotiations. Byrne's music was synchronized over a series of images of New York landmarks with a view to enhancing the show's composition and message. Byrne says, "The BBC stole both my work and my reputation to service their theory that Irish Republicans are fundamentally dishonest. My work has always had at its core the belief that the Irish people have the right to self-determination and independence from British interference. The BBC is a government controlled institution that supports the aims and interests of the British state, including its undemocratic control over the North of Ireland. The BBC would not have had a snowball’s chance in hell of getting a license from me, even if they had the decency to goabout it legally. My political beliefs are central to who I am, and the BBC's theft of my work for the purposes of anti-Irish disinformation is a grave infringement of my artistic rights." The BBC prides itself on its purported image as a broadcaster which adheres to the values of "impartiality, objectivity and balance." Not according to Byrne. Byrne's legal action will set out to prove his and his audience's opinion that the BBC are part and parcel of the apparatus of British misrule in Ireland. Among the allegations in his legal action are that: * The BBC regularly supports British government policy that is fighting "not just a military war but a propaganda war" in the North of Ireland. * The BBC consciously ignored Catholic Nationalist grievances throughout the conflict in the north of Ireland, including the torture of internees and other British army brutalities. * The BBC lied to the world about the British Army's murder of thirteen unarmed Irish civilians on what has become known as "Bloody Sunday." * The BBC has censored countless programs which challenge British policy in the North of Ireland, and even banned the song "Give Ireland Back to the Irish" by former Beatle, Paul McCartney. * The BBC continues to present a one-sided view of the conflict, heavily biased against Irish republicans. Byrne will also show that his antipathy for the BBC and his diametric opposition to its viewpoints are a matter of public record. By way of example, in the popular "Black 47" song, "Time To Go," ("Home of the Brave"-- EMI records) written by Byrne, he specifically denounces the BBC for peddling anti-Irish views. Indeed, the song "Fenians," which is at the heart of the lawsuit, alludes to the British media's demonization of Irish republicans. By associating Byrne with its message, the BBC has placed Byrne in a position of having to defend his character and integrity. "After everything I've stood for, after all the benefits and the protests, it now appears to my compatriots and my fans that Seanchai has sold out. There is none so low in the opinion of Irish republicans as he who takes the sovereign coin to betray his people. The damage done to my reputation is incalculable." Byrne's lawsuit has echos of a similar case in which Chuck D of "Public Enemy" brought an action against the G. Heileman Brewing Company, after a few seconds of his voice had been used without permission in advertisements promoting malt liquor, despite the rapper's public opposition to the marketing and promotion of that product among African-American youth. Chuck D was able to obtain a seven-figure settlement precisely because of the virtually certain prospect of a massive jury verdict similar to the one which could be expected in Byrne's case against the BBC. Like Chuck D, Byrne has steadfastly refused to allow material associated with him to be used in ways that are not consistent with his public reputation. For example, he vetoed a lucrative Black 47 tour sponsorship offer from Reebok, the shoe manufacturing giant, solely on the basis that Reebok's corporate logo includes the Union Jack, a symbol considered offensive by Irish republicans and nationalists. One of Byrne's lawyers, Russell Smith, who handled the Chuck D case, is confident of victory for Byrne. "The BBC’s copyright infringement could not be more clear," said Smith. "On top of that, the BBC's false association of its message with our client adds insult to injury." With the BBC forced to defend on American soil not just its unlawful appropriation of Byrne's work, but its very mission and conduct throughout 30 years of conflict in the North of Ireland, this undoubtedly will be a closely-watched legal battle. For a copy of Byrne’s complaint, or for further information, please contact Russell Smith at (212) 460-5518, or another of Byrne’s attorneys, Eamonn Dornan, at (212) 780-1946, or visit Seanchai's website at www.seanchai.com **************************************** © The Irish Freedom Committee NewsList - IFC Updates |
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IRISH FREEDOM COMMITTEE NEWSLIST ----------------------------- Subject: Irish Freedom Committee at the Conference on World Affairs Date: April 25, 2000
For those who were not aware, a representative from the Irish Freedom Committee was invited to participate in the 52nd Annual Conference on World Affairs in Boulder, CO, the week before last. It was a large event, attended by over 30,000 people from all over the world, which addressed a myriad of subjects in a wide variety of forums scattered all over the beautiful University of Colorado campus. It was a fascinating experience, and I would highly recommend its attendance to everyone in future years. This was the first year the multi-disciplinary Conference addressed the war in Ireland. There were six panels specific to the subject, and one Plenery Address given by Ed Lynch. For more information about the panelists, or the Conference itself, go to the Conference on World Affairs website at http://www.colorado.edu/cwa/ Audio Tapes for each panel are available for $5 each from the CWA—contact them for information at: Conference
on World Affairs There will be detailed reports available for the panels, they will be posted shortly. Thanks again for your patience during our long absence. Deirdre Fennessy, The Irish Freedom Committee ********************************************************************** Following is the list of the 52nd Annual Conference on World Affairs panels on the North of Ireland, and the participants: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MONDAY APRIL 10, 2000 - 4:00-5:30 PM “What Troubles Northern Ireland?” University Memorial Center (UMC) Forum Room Moderator: Tom Burke Panelists: Simon Hoggart - Parliamentary Correspondent, The Guardian; Author, Bizarre Beliefs, and America - A User's Guide Deirdre Fennessy –The Irish Freedom Committee Edmund Lynch -- National Coordinator, Lawyers Alliance for Justice in Ireland - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2000 - 1:00-2:00 PM PLENARY ADDRESS “The Deadly Game of Politics in Northern Ireland” Macky Auditorium Moderator: Leslie Durgin Presenter: Edmund Lynch -- National Coordinator, Lawyers Alliance for Justice in Ireland
TUESDAY APRIL 11, 2000 - 12:30 - 2:00 PM “Peace Brokers, Makers and Keepers” UMC Forum Room Moderator: Trey Lyons Panelists: Jonathan Broder -- Senior writer, Jerusalem Report; National Correspondent, Fox News Online Deirdre Fennessy -- The Irish Freedom Committee Martin Galvin -- Attorney; Activist; Columnist, The Sovereign Nation Lael Stegall -- President, Social Change International - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - WEDNESDAY APRIL 12, 2000 - 9:00-10.30 AM “RUC/IRA: Paramilitary Power in Transition” Old Main Chapel Moderator: Tom Burke Panelists: Simon Hoggart -- Parliamentary Correspondent, The Guardian; Author, Bizarre Beliefs, and America - A User's Guide Edmund Lynch -- National Coordinator, Lawyers Alliance for Justice in Ireland Deirdre Fennessy -- The Irish Freedom Committee Martin Galvin -- Attorney; Activist; Columnist, The Sovereign Nation
WEDNESDAY APRIL 12, 2000 - 4-5:30 PM “Living a Normal Life in a Divided Community” UMC Forum Room Moderator: Ron Billingsley
Panelists: Deirdre Fennessy -- The Irish Freedom Committee Ziad Mughrabi -- Chapter President, American-Anti-Arab Discrimination Committee Stuart Schoffman -- Journalist; Columnist; Book Critic; Screenwriter; Director Lael Stegall -- President, Social Change International - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - THURSDAY APRIL 13, 2000 - 11 AM-12:30 PM “Pinochet: The Case for Globalizing Justice” UMC Forum Room Moderator: Donna Goldstein Panelists: Deirdre Fennessy -- The Irish Freedom Committee Dimon Liu -- Human Rights Activist Jaime Malamud-Goti -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FRIDAY APRIL 14, 2000 - 2-3:30 PM “The Horrors of Colonialism” Old Main Chapel Moderator: Joel Edelstein Panelists: Deirdre Fennessy -- The Irish Freedom Committee Adam Hochschild -- Co-Founder, Mother Jones; Author, King Leopold's Ghost Cecilia Zarate-Laun -- Co-Founder/Program Director, Colombia Support Network - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ************************************************ © The Irish Freedom Committee NewsList - IFC Updates
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