Cancer sticks
(Inside Indonesia no. 56 Oct-Dec 98)
I read with interest your recent article on the cigarette industry in Indonesia. I was disappointed to see that the author, Catherine Reynolds, was more interested in scoring rhetorical points than in providing comprehensive and current information on the industry and its place within the Indonesian economy and society. While she voices some valid concerns, her tendency toward conjecture and condemnation does your readers a disservice.
Jonathan Zax (jbzax@ibm.net), Director of Corporate Development, PT HM Sampoerna, 11 May 1999.
Response
Such vague obfuscations and protests are typical of big tobacco corporations. They always complain when the deadly nature of the product they sell is publicised. Yet Sampoerna is less vague in their Annual Reports. They plainly express satisfaction with Indonesia's practically unrestricted advertising regime, while stating they do not expect 'the same exposure to litigation and potential lawsuits as do their American counterparts'. Meanwhile, it's been estimated that around 50% of 10 year old boys in Jakarta smoke. Inside Indonesia is a great forum for social justice issues. It is one of the few public spaces where this issue has been cleanly aired!
Catherine Reynolds (c.reynolds@unsw.edu.au), 17 Jun 1999
Wheels for awareness
(Inside Indonesia no.59, Jul-Sep 1999).
Spyrou's article suggests that the OzIndo Project has a choice between long term development or short term relief, and prefers the latter. Our choice was between doing something or doing nothing. In order to be able to obtain permits throughout Australia and issue tax-deductible receipts, the OzIndo Project had to be auspiced by an AusAid accredited non-government organisation in Australia. The Uniting Church in Australia's Unity and International Mission has allowed us complete independence. The proviso is that donations collected must be used for relief purposes.
On the road we are surviving on the proverbial smell of an oilrag. With our limited resources, we decided to follow the established Indonesian strategy of pasar murah food subsidisation programs.
Perhaps the worst of the economic crisis in Indonesia has passed. Nevertheless reliable reports suggest that there was and still is widespread hunger and poverty.
I would be very interested to know what kind of response other aid organisations get when they earmark appeals to development projects in Indonesia. I wonder whether there is a comparable outpouring of generosity as we are seeing in our grassroots operation.
Mia Hoogenboom withdrew in Albany WA, due to 'emotional and mental stress'. However, the remaining members of the team remain totally committed. We have just left Darwin and have completed some 10,500 kms.
Our personal reasons for deciding to spend more than a year of our lives with the OzIndo Project may vary, but our motivation stems from our common humanitarian values. It's as simple as that.
Jan Lingard, Australia Co-ordinator, OzIndo Project (OzIndo_News@hotmail.com), 24 August 1999
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