[nukkad] No birthday party for Freddie in Zanzibar

["Harshal Chhaya" <>]

An AFP news report from Zanzibar Tanzania (AFP)  says that "Organizers
of a 60th gala birthday party for the late Zanzibar-born rock star
Freddie Mercury, have cancelled the weekend event after outraged
Muslims threatened to disrupt it."

I didn't know that he was born in Zanzibar. I always thought he was
from "aapni Mumbai".

It goes on to say:
===
Faced with fierce opposition from Islamists, who complained the
flamboyant Queen lead singer's lifestyle was offensive to many on the
overwhelmingly Muslim archipelago, organizers said they had no choice
but to call it off.

"We have decided to cancel the party after misleading and erroneous
information was spread about it," said organizer Simai Mohamed Saidi,
who runs a Freddie Mercury theme restaurant in the capital.

"I urge Muslim groups in the future to seek correct information from
us instead of relying on rumors," he said in an open letter, adding
the event was intended to be celebration to honor Mercury, who died of
AIDS in 1991.

Saidi also lamented that the cancellation would hurt his intention to
use the party to raise money for HIV/AIDS victims on Zanzibar.

Conservative Zanzibari Islamists last week demanded that authorities
ban the party and then vowed to stage mass demonstrations if it went
ahead, saying it would tarnish the islands' reputation and culture and
promote homosexuality.
...

Few on Zanzibar are aware of Queen or Freddie Mercury, who was born
Farrokh Bulsara on the main island of Unguja to Persian parents
employed by the British colonial administration on September 5, 1946.

But the appearance of posters advertising the beach party to celebrate
what would have been his 60th birthday in recent weeks prompted the
Islamist complaints.

Although he was educated in India and moved with his family to Britain
in 1964, Mercury, who died in 1991, remains perhaps Zanzibar's most
famous son to many westerners and rock music fans.
===


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
It is perfectly fine to compare apples and oranges when comparing an Orange 
3G mobile that's a video phone with Apple iChat which is also a video phone
----------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To join/leave, use the form at: http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/#options
This list is archived at: http://www.mumbai-central.com/nukkad/archive.html