CAMPAIGN INSISTS REGGAE ARTISTS SIGNED ON

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The Stop Murder Music campaign has dismissed denials by two reggae singers that they had signed its anti-homophobia pledge by releasing the signed documents to the media.

The UK based campaign had recently announced that Beenie Man and Buju Banton, two leading reggae / dancehall singers, had renounced homophobia and condemned violence against lesbians and gay men by signing the Reggae Compassionate Act.

However, this week, the artists, who have been accused of producing music inciting the killing of gays, denied that they had agreed to the pledge, claiming that Stop Murder Music was trying to generate publicity.

In response, Peter Tachell, from British gay human rights group OutRage! and the man behind the campaign, has told PinkNews.co.uk that the claims are “absurd.” He has posted copies of the documents signed by the artisits on his website.

“We are not sure whether this is a case of misreporting, spin by their management, or a genuine recantation. What is absolutely certain is that these artists have signed the Reggae Compassion Act, we have their signatures on the agreement. The signatures have been authenticated as genuine. Any attempt to deny that the artists have signed this agreement will just make them look dishonest, duplicitous and downright ridiculous,” said Tachell.

The Reggae Compassionate Act states that the signatories will “respect and uphold the rights of all individuals to live without fear of hatred and violence due to their religion, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity or gender”, and “agree to not make statements or perform songs that incite hatred or violence against anyone from any community.”

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