OOBERFUSE mark UN' International Day for the abolition of slavery

OOBERFUSE MARK UNITED NATIONS’ INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY WITH YOU-TUBE SENSATION

To mark the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery on 2 December 2012 Ooberfuse are set to release a harrowing new music video of their heart-rending trip-hop lament Rescue inspired by UK human-trafficking survivor Sophie Hayes.
 

Through haunting melodies and disturbing visuals Rescue draws you into the world of someone trafficked unleashing the emotional turmoil induced by human slavery.
 

Hal from ooberfuse says : “In his message last year for the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December 2011, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said : "we need new strategies and measures that can unite all actors to eradicate contemporary forms of slavery,."
 

Music is our ‘strategy’ to get behind the appalling statistics (27 million people trafficked each year) to the human impact of this hidden contemporary crime. How does the experience of abduction and abject servitude register in the feelings of an ordinary person? We hope that our video offers some kind of an answer to this question so that people around the world can unite together on 2nd December 2012 to bring an end to this modern permutation of the age-old phenomenon of human slavery.’  

Cherrie, front-woman of ooberfuse, whose disturbing visual portrayal of the emotional impact of human trafficking is the main feature of the video, says : “when I was living in Manila a close friend of mine disappeared one day. It turned out that she had been kidnapped and trafficked to a remote part of Far East Asia to be forced into degrading domestic servitude which included sexual exploitation. It was the horror of human trafficking that inspired the song Rescue. During the video shoot I was recalling my close friend’s terrifying ordeal when quite suddenly something broke inside me and I was overwhelmed by a tidal surge of emotion.”

Nico from ooberfuse says : “human trafficking occurs invisibly around us as we live out our busy lives in the hustle and bustle of this city metropolis. The only evidence that something is desperately wrong is found in the despairing looks of those people caught up in the human slave trade. Although victims are often too traumatised or drugged up to speak nevertheless a sadness shines out from their eyes that cries out for us to rise up and take action.  

The song highlights that our indifference to what is going on only exacerbates the emotional pain and trauma suffered by those who are trafficked... Indifference the chain / inflaming my pain.”  

Sophie Hayes says : “I have heard Rescue over and over again, I think I have cried for a solid hour.... It is incredible I can't even explain how much it has moved me ... I'm so blown away by the song. I've not been able to get it out of my head since I heard it.”

NOTES 

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
.The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.

Human Trafficking There are more slaves today than at any time in human history.  An estimated 27 million men, women, and children are living in bondage. In 2007, slave traders made more profit than Google, Nike, and Starbucks combined.

-        There are over one million new people trafficked annually.

-        80% are women and 60% are children.

-        Every minute two children become victims of human trafficking.

-        The average life span of a child caught in the sex slave trade is two years.

-        They are either beaten to death, contract HIV/AIDS, contract bacterial meningitis,      or overdose on drugs forced on them.

ooberfuse (www.ooberfuse.com) is an experimental music project. The band believe in the power of music to amplify voices normally drowned out and unheard in the clamour and rush of everyday life. The members, Cherrie, Nico and Hal, share a common vision to infuse the increasingly moribund traditions of western pop with fresh eastern vigour. By refusing the standard conventions that determine the contemporary pop scene they invite their audience to rediscover in contemporary pop a powerful language that can speak about otherwise unspeakable realities.

If you want to contact Ooberfuse

Cherrie Anderson   m: 0754 557 4726  e: cherrie.anderson@gmail.com

Hal St John       m: 0758 131 1582  e:  halstjohn33@gmail.com

Please check out www.ooberfuse.com for more information.