Stereophonics Urged To Withdraw From Tobacco Sponsored Jakarta Rock Festival
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Tuesday, 28 September 2010 |
Written by Jon Stickler
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Welsh rock band Stereophonics have today been criticised by children’s charities and Dragon's Den entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne for supporting the tobacco industry by agreeing to play at the Java Rockin’ Land festival in Indonesia.
The Gudang Garam cigarette company is the major sponsor of the festival taking place at Jakarta’s Ancol Beach from 8th -10th October. Among the line-up supporting the lead act, the Smashing Pumpkins, are Wales’ Stereophonics. Children are welcome at the concert and students are being offered half price admission. It is well known that the tobacco industry in Indonesia flouts government regulations by distributing free cigarettes to concert goers contributing to Indonesia’s growing problem of youth smoking rates with 3 out of 4 smokers becoming addicted as adolescents and 1 in 3 smoking their first cigarette before the age of 10.
Indonesia is the fifth largest tobacco market in the world and has over 73 million smokers. Around 66% of men smoke, a rate not seen in United Kingdom since 1948. Indonesia has virtually no tobacco control policies or significant education programmes. Major tobacco companies in Indonesia include Gudang Garam, Sampoerna (Philip Morris International), Djarum, and Bentoel (British American Tobacco). These four companies dominate the Indonesian tobacco market with more than 70% of the total market share and in 2008, over 165 billion cigarettes were sold in Indonesia.
Tanya Buchanan, Chief Executive of ASH Wales, had this to say about the Stereophonics' support show at the festival: “We urge the Stereophonics to demand the withdrawal of tobacco sponsorship and any associated branding from the festival or alternatively to pull out of the festival. These actions would send a powerful message that the band is concerned about the health of Indonesia’s children and that they will not allow the band’s name, talent and popularity to be used to market deadly and addictive products to children in Indonesia or anywhere else. We know the Stereophonics are committed to promoting worthwhile causes including playing at the Tsunami Aid concert in 2009 and this year helping to raise funds for the Wales Air Ambulance service. Participating in a festival designed to promote tobacco products to children is unconscionable. If the Stereophonics go ahead with a tobacco sponsored concert, they are by choice being spokespeople for the tobacco industry and helping them to market to children.”
Catriona Williams, Chief Executive of Children in Wales, also revealed her feelings towards the festival: “As President of the International Forum for Child Welfare I am fully aware from colleagues in Indonesia the full extent of the problem. The sight of very small children chain smoking is unbelievable. They will suffer the same illnesses as those of adult smokers but much earlier in their young lives. In 2008, Alicia Keys refused to play a Jakarta tobacco sponsored event, unless all sponsorship and marketing by Philip Morris’ Sampoerna brand was stopped. She got her way, as did American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson this year when she sang there. Now the Stereophonics need to do the same thing. Almost all smokers in Indonesia start as children and tobacco use kills more than 200,000 people in Indonesia each year. At the current rate of smoking 1,644 Indonesians will die from tobacco-related illness during the three days of the Java Rockin’Land festival.”
Dragons’ Den presenter Duncan Bannatyne is also President of No Smoking Day and Quit's UK Children's Champion. He is passionate about protecting children from cigarette addiction and said: “Last year I researched and produced a documentary on the marketing and advertising tactics of tobacco companies in developing countries. British American Tobacco (Bentoel) and Philip Morris (Sampoerna) are both huge companies in Indonesia. Despite repeated claims from both companies about their corporate social responsibility and not wanting young people to smoke, they are frequent sponsors of youth-oriented events where free cigarettes are often handed out. The Stereophonics should do all they can to distance themselves from this sort of marketing practice.”
The Java Rockin' Land festival is set to take place at Jakarta’s Ancol Beach from 8th -10th October.
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