Macklemore has cancelled a forthcoming concert in Dubai , citing the United Arab Emirates ‘ role in the “ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis” in Sudan . In a post on social media, the Grammy-winning artist said that he had arrived at this decision “after careful thought, numerous conversations with trusted organisers and friends and my own reading/research”. “I don’t take this decision lightly and think it’s important to explain why,” the musician wrote on Instagram .
“Over the last several months, I’ve had a number of people reach out to me, sharing resources and asking me to cancel the show in solidarity with the people of Sudan and to boycott doing business in UAE for the role they are playing in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in the region . “It was important for me to learn and really get a grasp on the situation. I never wanted to make a decision out of fear but a measured one from the heart.
” Since April 2023, Sudan has been caught in a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), when tensions between the two led to all-out violence in the capital Khartoum and then spread across the country. The conflict has killed at least 15,000 people, according to the International Rescue Committee, while other estimates go higher. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs states that over 10 million people have been displaced by the fighting , while over 25 million a.