Recent news reports claim that the participation of Lebanese singer Elissa is not welcome in the land of "a million martyrs", Algeria where she will be inaugurating the opening ceremony of the Jameelah Music Festival on May 2.
The report from the Algerian newspaper "Al-Shrouq" stated that Elissa will be receiving a fee that amounts to half the budget of the entire festival. The remaining half will be distributed to all the other Algerian singers taking part in the festival, including Rai singer Bilal.
This news caused a tide of anger amongst some sections of the Algerians, who consider this big-spend to be an insult to the Algerian people, at a time when the country is going through an economic crisis. Elissa, according to the Algerian gripe, has become a cause for financial concern, practically precipitating or at least aggravating Algeria's current economical crisis. She is seen to be stealing Algerian people's money.
The anti-Elissa tribe of activists have launched a campaign from the internet social network site, in a public Facebook campaign against the Lebanese singer Elissa, tagged “Against Elissa’s visit to Algeria”. The manifesto runs with: "The Algerians, and the youth of Algeria have exclusive rights to this money, instead of it being spent on furthering the corruption of society".
Shoe-throwing at the 'thief'
In view of the fact that the country is suffering a severe economic crises, Elissa is considered by many a thief taking the money that belongs to the Algerian people.
Algerians that are against having Elissa perform have threatened to take matters to a higher level, mounting a civil march, and staging demonstrations demanding the singer be banned from the festival. If their demand is not met, they will create chaos to ruin the festival. Angry mobs might take to shoe and tomato throwing.
It should be noted that this is not the first time Elissa has faced such a public tide of rejection in the Arab world. In Egypt, there was a similar campaign dubbed the "million campaign", which called to ban her from singing in Egypt, due to a statement that suggested the singer was against the revolution of the 25th of January.
What do you think of this musical upset?
Do you think Elissa should pull out of her Algeria tour?
