- Title: Indonesia protesters say 'no' to Big Tobacco
- Date: 17th May 2017
- Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (MAY 17, 2017) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS MARCHING PROTESTERS HOLDING SIGNS AND MARCHING BANNER READING (Bahasa Indonesia): "REJECT WTPM (WORLD TOBACCO PROCESS AND MACHINERY) UNTIL DEATH" AND "PLEASE GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY!" PROTESTER LOOKING OVER BANNER BANNER READING (Bahasa Indonesia): "REJECT WTPM UNTIL DEATH" (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) PROTESTER, MANIK MARGANAMAHENDRA, SAYING: "The World Tobacco and Process Machinery cannot be allowed because it's breaking the rules of an anti-smoke zone that was implemented in Jakarta. Also in Indonesia, there is a rule that controls tobacco promotions. And there will be a chance that (promotions) could happen during this exhibition." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS LINE UP HOLDING POSTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) PROTESTER, MALIDIA MULYAWATI, SAYING: "This exhibition also impacts tobacco labour welfare, as it exhibits the advanced technology of tobacco production machinery, which could displace the traditional labourers." VARIOUS OF POLICE STANDING BY JAKARTA, INDONESIA (RECENT - MAY 8, 2017) (REUTERS) SMALL PATH LEADING TO VILLAGE, PAINTED WALL NEXT TO PATH WOMAN WALKING PAST PAINTED WALL BANNER READING (Bahasa Indonesia): "WELCOME TO COLOURFUL VILLAGE AND SMOKE FREE-ZONE AT PENAS TANGGUL" VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN FRONT OF HOMES PEOPLE SQUATTING IN ENTRANCE TO HOME, SMOKING MAN HOLDING CIGARETTE (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) VILLAGE RESIDENT, SAIL ANDI SUPU, SAYING: "We have used a painting method to change the village for the better, and then we are trying to start it (being smoke-free) inside our houses, because smoke is very dangerous for the health of our wives and children." JAKARTA, INDONESIA (MAY 15, 2017) (REUTERS) INDONESIA'S HEALTH MINISTER NILA MOELOEK GIVING SPEECH AT A TOBACCO CONFERENCE MOELOEK WALKING TOWARDS MICROPHONE FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INDONESIA'S HEALTH MINISTER, NILA MOELOEK, SAYING: "We are always asking for the president to reduce tobacco production and even to stop the production so that tobacco farmers can still do their job. We are hoping that the product will be reduced." MOELOEK LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 31st May 2017 12:14
- Keywords: anti-tabacco awareness draft tabacco law health minister protest farmer tobacco Indonesia
- Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
- City: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
- Country: Indonesia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016H87FWL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Protesters marched on Wednesday (May 17) against Big Tobacco as an industry exhibition of cigarette-making machines opened in the Indonesian capital Jakarta.
The protest comes as a controversial tobacco bill, which could sharply raise cigarette output in the world's fourth-most populous nation, is being discussed by the parliament and government.
Indonesia is also the world's fourth-biggest cigarette producer and has one of the heaviest rates of smoking in the world. Late last year, the country's powerful parliament proposed a draft law covering production, distribution and excise taxes of tobacco, which it claimed would safeguard millions of jobs in the industry.
Nearly two-thirds of men are smokers in Indonesia, a country of 250 million people where an average packet of cigarettes costs less than $2.
Students say they are planning further protests against what they see as an increased effort by cigarette companies to target the young, and Indonesian Health Minister Nila Moeloek has expressed her opposition against the draft bill.
In March, a neighbourhood in the Indonesian capital informally declared itself a smoke-free zone, painting a row of at least a dozen houses in bright colours.
Despite health concerns, the tobacco industry is often defended in Indonesia by politicians and others as an important source of income for farmers and revenue for the government. The industry employs millions of workers and contributes almost 10 percent to government revenues through taxes. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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