Proof, if proof were needed, that my love of Boney M is not just a kitsch affectation but rather based in my admiration of novel geo-political stratagems:
Boney M' on Georgia's frontline
Georgia has hired a member of 1970s pop group Boney M, famous for songs like Daddy Cool and Rasputin, in its fight for control of breakaway South Ossetia. Marcia Barrett played a concert in a small frontline village not far from the rebel capital Tskhinvali.
Thousands of people came in cars, buses, trucks and on foot through a mountain pass skirting separatist territory to hear her sing.
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili told the BBC he hoped the music would persuade people to lay down their arms.
"We hope that we'll lure out people from their trenches, force them to drop [their] Kalashnikovs, come here and dance with the others and understand that nothing is as nice as peace, nothing is as nice as reconciliation," Mr Saakashvili said.....
Ms Barrett said she did not know much about the situation in this remote region of the former Soviet Union but said she wanted to promote peace.
"Because it's a peace festival I really feel honoured to be invited to come and take part," she told the BBC.
The concert took place in Tamarasheni, a village of around 500 people that remains loyal to Georgia. Our correspondent says the event was planned by the Georgian authorities to show the South Ossetian separatists that life would be better and more fun if they returned to government control.... (the rest, courtesy of the BBC).
How can anyone think of succession when Boney M is in town? They were and are disco diplomats, spreading the message of dialogue and discussion through German produced Caribbean mid-tempo dance numbers. As the following video shows, they were easily as instrumental in bringing peace to Northern Ireland as Ahern, Blair, Paisley, and Adams. They were just 20 years ahead of their time:
Now if only there was an easily available and affordable US pressing of any of their greatest hits collections on CD...
5 comments:
i think you mean "secession". of course, i'm the idiot who read the first part of this and almost started Googling to find out which part of Georgia (U.S.A.) South Ossetia is in. i figured maybe some looney from outside Macon decided it was time he had his sovereignty recognized.
"secession". Indeed, yes. You all must forgive my occasional/frequent slips into English as a foreign language- enthusiasm often outstrips editing when posting.
No doubt ... I figured this was somewhere over between Athens and Mobile Alabama, and that the guy with the hard-to-type name was the one who accused Max Baucus of being a "Freedom Hater".
if you've still got a "breakaway republic" itch to scratch, meet Transnistria, described thusly:
"Transnistria is small, ethnically divided, economically dependent on Russia, and geographically ridiculous."
sounds like a gem!
Transnistria, the Black Sea Delaware.
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