Banner banned from parade
BY PAM WALKER
Was the banning of a political poster in this year’s Mardi Gras parade a case of poor management or poor judgement’
The answer depends on whether you talk to Marcus Bourget, chair of New Mardi Gras or Rachel Evans, co-convenor of Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH).
The exclusion of the banner calling for the release of Ali Humayan has resulted in a public stoush between CAAH and organisers of the parade. The queer Pakistani refugee has been in Villawood for three years and claims his father and brother will kill him if he is sent back.
New Mardi Gras officials say CAAH did not have the paperwork for the parade and claim the two drivers who turned up to register the float could not explain who Humanyan was.
Evans admits CAAH’s paperwork was not in order but describes the ban as unacceptable censorship.
‘It’s a cover argument that draws heat away from the real issue which is that they banned a banner that was raising support for a queer Pakistani held in the Villawood detention centre,’ she said.
‘They said to our drivers and to our crew ‘you have to take that banner down it’s too political’.’
She said the act went against the spirit of Mardi Gras, born out of the queer communities’ refusal to accept the closet or the censorship of governments and police: ‘We think there should be no censorship of political banners and political material. We want the fire back in everyone’s bellies.’
But New Mardi Gras chair Marcus Bourget dismissed the accusation of censorship and said it was just another example of CAAH’s lack of organisation.
‘Censorship’ Absolutely not. Mardi Gras would have been, and is, the venue to have this banner shown,’ he said. ‘Bear in mind we’re running around organising 150 floats and are relying on them to be organised.’
Bourget said Mardi Gras held a briefing day for participants when people were told where they would be placed in the parade and given wristbands to allow access.
‘CAHH turned up without documents. We then started this mammoth task of getting them in without documents,’ he said. ‘If there’d been a mistake and the correct float had turned up, it would have been a disaster.
‘We’ve had trouble with CAHH over the years as they do these sort of stunts for publicity. They’re trying to give oxygen to an issue that is of their own making.
‘We absolutely support Ali’s rights and we’re there to promote freedom and equality for all lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex (GLBTI).’
CAAH has written to Mardi Gras apologising for not having the right paperwork and inviting them to visit Humayan.
‘We don’t want to fight Mardi Gras ‘ we want to free Ali and need their support,’ Evans said. ‘Without the support of other organisations we won’t be able to free him because the federal government is not freeing long-term detainees like they promised.
‘It’s hard to come out in Australia but it’s a lot harder to come out in the third world. In Moslem countries like Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh and Indonesia, it is literally a case of life and death. We must provide solidarity for them.’
Bourget said he would wait to see what the letter said.
