Don Kato denouncing government censoring of Carnival Songs

Carnival songs have in the past been performed to denounce bad governance and moon politicians. Carnival songs have also in the past been used to predict the political future of Haiti.

Martelly is now against carnival singers who are against his own governance. In his move Martelly has banned some artists from participating in this year's carnival festival, one of which is the popular musician Don Kato.

Before being a president, Martelly was himself a carnival singer; criticizing every poor government. Now the president is being accused of contradicting himself by trying to censor artist for doing what he did in the past.

Some of the famous lead singers will not be among the 15 bands to stage the carnival celebrations. Don Kato an artist of Brothers Posse group said "As young artists, we learned how to do this from him, watching him denounce government after government. It makes no sense that as an artist I can't sing about the environment I am living in, and you want to sanction me because I'm not singing in favor of you."

Don Kato's Brothers Posse group is one of the bands whose alleged ban has stirred up the country's media houses and has been the headliner for most Haitian journalists.

However, Martelly reported that it was the work of a committee he appointed to choose which bands to participate in this carnival season. But according to the banned artists the decisions are not from a committee but from one person.

Martelly said the band lineup was selected by an 18-member carnival committee he appointed. He personally chose three bands and "intervened once" after the committee prematurely announced a lineup which included Brothers Posse.

Kanpench is another Haiti roots band to miss out this year's celebration. This is the second year in a row for the band to be excluded and singer Frederic "Fredo" Pierre Louis has convinced the public that the decision came from Martelly.

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Read more: carnival, singer, Criticism, Kanaval, Don Kato, Brothers Posse, King Posse, Censorship, ALORAL, Entertainment

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