Since his creative juices dried up, Gordon Sumner aka Sting has received most publicity for his very public environmentalism. As in
The Rainforest Foundation was founded in 1989 by Sting and his wife Trudie Styler, after they saw first-hand the destruction of the Amazon rainforests, and the devastating impact it had on the lives of the indigenous peoples who lived there.
Not, you would think, the kind of chap who would be likely to take the money to propagandise for the most vicious regime in the World. But there was Gordon on October 17 at the Navoi Opera House in Tashkent, performing a “Charity Concert” with Gulnara Karimova for some of the “Charities” which have been set up in the past three years as the regime seeks to burnish her image to take over from her dissident massacring father.
I bet the oligarchs loved it though:
Even the cheapest ticket will cost more than 45 times the average monthly salary in Uzbekistan
http://www.harpers.org/archive/2009/11/hbc-90006016
Karimova herself has had opponents murdered, has through her company Xeromax taken ownership of much of Uzbekistan’s pathetically little industry, and runs both the city’s nightclubs and the profitable industry sex trafficking Uzbek girls to Dubai.
But the greatest irony of the arch tosser Sumner’s involvement is that the Uzbek government not only tortures thousands every year, has ten thousand political prisoners and massacres demonstrators. It is also responsible for one of the world’s greatest environmental disasters – the disappearance of the Aral Sea, and the huge toxicity of the remnant and of the blown seabed dust.
The Uzbek government gets most of its money from the State cotton plantations – Uzbekistan is the World’s second biggest cotton exporter. The use of all the river water for irrigation of the
cotton is the direct cause of the Aral Sea disappearance. The massive amount of pesticide and fertiliser needed to maintain a hundred year single crop monoculture is causing the poisoning and birth defects. The crop is picked by hand by forced labour and especially child slave labour. The arsehole Sumner may not have noticed, but in the last three years even Wal-Mart, Marks and Spencers and Tesco have put a total ban on Uzbek cotton in all the clothing they sell.
Did it not occur to Sting to wonder just where his glamorous hostess gets her billions from? Karimov and his daughter have for decades resisted every attempt to liberalise and diversify Uzbekistan’s agriculture. The slaves pick for them. And for Sting, apparently.
Hsa anyone tried to write to or otherwise contact Sting to give him awareness of what is happening in Uzbekistan?
Dear Mr Murray,
I represent Scumbag, Maggot, Parasite and Slug, Solrs. and Commissioners for Oaths.
We act for Mr Paul Hewson aka Bono.
It has come to our attention that you have published material on your blog which to a reasonable person may convey the impression that Mr Gordon Sumner aka Sting is the “arch tosser” and “arsehole”.
We are confident that this was purely an oversight on upon reconsideration you’ll publish a clarification that our client Bono is the preeminent leader in both these fields.
Additionally, we’d be obliged if you’d donate £1000.00 to our client’s favourite charity at the website below.
http://www.elevation.com/EP_IT_FLASH.asp
Elevation is committed to alleviating world poverty
Your umble servant
Uriah Heep
Dear Mr. Murray
We are delighted, delighted that you are libelling, yes, grossly libelling our client Stingray – uh, I meant Stingy. For us, the No. 2 (no pun intended) libel liars – uh, I meant lawyers, in the country, the Festive Season has truly come early. Ho ho ho!
For when you wrote that Stingy had furthered the cause of slave labour in Uzbekistan (using in your correspondence, we may say, unspeakably bad words which we cannot repeat, since ladies may be reading this), poor Stinky -uh, I mean Stingy – was in tears! ‘Boo-Hoo!’ he said. ‘This will dent my scented – uh, I meant sainted – image. Take care of it, GG old fellow’, and someone handed me a brown paper bag flled with Goodies.
And therefore, you will cease and desist from all libels and slanders whatsoever or we will set you up – uh, I meant sue you.
Yours contentedly
G. R. Gutts, Barred from Law
Came across this…
http://tinyurl.com/5u6cap
Seriously though,has anyone contacted Sting about what really goes on in Uzbekistan?
I don’t like him or his music,but maybe he’s simply not aware?
“White Gold – The True Cost Of Cotton”…
http://tinyurl.com/yrfuwx
“Aral Sea”…
tinyurl.com/cyfa9s
Dear mr. Murray
I was much impressed by your courageous book, all the more because it was peer revied by the British FO, and it was a happy surprise to me that you are writing a blog.
Wish I had come across your website before today.
“I don’t like him or his music,but maybe he’s simply not aware?”
It doesn’t work like that.
Unless he was born yesterday he must have known he was getting into bed with deeply dodgy people, and chosen to be relaxed about that.
He’ll only give start giving a toss if we can give him the genuine fear of a PR disaster, upsetting his world fan base.
At the moment he’ll be guessing we won’t be able to get these facts and this bad publicity into any mainstream media.
With imagination and hard work I hope we can surprise him.
PS Thanks for airing this Craig, but no thanks for that picture! Yeuch!
I’ve just seen Sting on The Culture Show. He looked about 70 years old and was singing what seemed to be some kind of dreary Scottish folk song. How odd then to read Craig’s latest post.
He probably doesn’t have a clue about Uzbekistan, or that Ms Karimov has billions. Perhaps Craig should just send him a copy of his book.
I Ain’t Going to have a GO AT ANY MUSICIANS…
Cos they don’t know what is going on – they just write their words and do their songs – and have enormous influence on our culture
But they don’t realise what they are doing – Musicians Are Just Expressing Their Art – Their Heart and Soul…
We Saw a BRILLIANT Band Tonight
And I Was So Inspired I Wrote This…
Maybe Americans Can’t Emotionally Handle Their 26 Year Old Children Coming Back From WAR
The Gig Tonight Was Seriously Brilliant
And So At Half Time I Started Talking To This Guy…
Just Another Human Being – I Meet Down The Pub…
And I was talking to him just me to him not consciously even noticing his disability.. well of course I noticed – but I pretended not to – and just talked to him – as if – O.K. He May Have a Disability – But It is Not an Issue So Far as I am Concerned – I Just Want To Talk To You as a Person….
And so at full time after the Encore I went back to have a cigarette in the Garden – and of course everyone wanted to know who my New Friend Was…
And I explained to him – about my own Disability – and I Stood Up and asked Him – Mate – Can I Help You?
Shortly Before and After – My Beer went Spraying Everywhere…
I apologised to his Mum
And then Introduced Him To My Wife
He Was Really Fit – Really Good Looking – All The Girls Would Want To Shag Him…
What The Fuck Am I Supposed To Do?
I Watched Him Stand Up With The Support Of His Crutches
And I Ain’t Fucking Stupid
Tony
There’s a very good British site which allows the abused victims to air their greivances about useless, incompetent and fraudulent solicitors.
It’s crazy what they get away with and how they back eachother up in their blatant criminality.
And guess who gets a mention?
http://www.solicitorsfromhell.co.uk/index.php
Note to criminal Solicitors trying to use libel law to stifle criticism, and indeed those who want to get their criticisms into the public domain.
An internet directory or search engine is NOT a publisher at common law, just a facilitator.
As held by Mr Justice Eady on July 19 2009.
http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/in-practice/media-Google-a-publisher-or-merely-a-facilitator
Its all about expression of your heart and soul _ You are are a Child and You Play In The Sandpit – and You Are 3 Years Old and You Completely Love Your 2 Year Old Girlfriend…
Well I Can Remember That Far Back…
And then all this stuff happens in between…
And You are Still Wondering What Happenned To Your First Girlfriend?
Susan Speakman – I Think She Moved From Oldham To Australia When I Was 5 Years Old.
Tony
Some of us remember, when Sting was singing about saving the environment, that an intrepid reporter searched through Mr. Sumner’s dustbin and was shocked – shocked I tell you! – to find that Sting was not practising what he preached.
He’s another hypocrite, just like Bono, Al Gore and many other leading lights of the enviromental movement. Which of us wouldn’t give a lot to have Sting’s (or Bono’s or Gore’s) carbon footprint?
People get into the entertainment industry because they’re addicted to attention and adulation. Sting doesn’t care who’s giving so long as he’s receiving.
“O Sting, where is thy death?”
I am sick to the back teeth of these 70s/80s has beens – Sting, Bono, Geldof and the rest of them- all hypocrites fawning around crim political leaders. Even McCartney sold out to the Israelis by performing in Israel.
WARNING
@There’s a very good British site which allows the abused victims to air their greivances about useless, incompetent and fraudulent solicitors.
It’s crazy what they get away with and how they back eachother up in their blatant criminality.
And guess who gets a mention?
http://www.solicitorsfromhell.co.uk/index.php
Posted by: Liar Straw at November 15, 2009 2:12 AM
aaaaaaaaaaaaa
Unfortunately it could not be accessed as there is a Trojan there. I wonder who could have done that?
It’s impossible that someone like that was unaware of the Uzbekistan regime’s record. Even if he chose not be aware, his management certainly would have made it their business to be aware. Anyone with access to a PC would be able to gain access to appropriate information. I think they are so arrogant, distant and isolated from the concerns of ordinary people, they simply lose the ability to gauge the effects of their actions, and they probably don’t really care. How odd, though, that he picked that particular regime, when there are regimes whose records, though far from spotless, are not as unremittingly terrifying as that of the Karimovs. If he simply wanted to sing and play in an exotic location, there are lots of others he could’ve picked, even in Central Asia. He also didn;t have to cavort with the de facto ‘Leading Lady’ (Countess Dracula).
I read from Angry Harry’s site, that Al Gore is set to become the worlds first ‘green’ billionaire, from his investments into alternative businesses.
When the piper beats the drum, he can pay for and play his own tunes.
To anonymous poster
at November 15, 2009 9:10 AM
And all who wish to browse with confidence:
Get yourself a copy of Knoppix, or any “Linux Live” CD (downloadable for free). It boots from your CD ROM, no need to replace Windows, it can’t get viruses, if you have a cabled connection via a router it’ll connect itself to the ‘net automatically.
I accessed the solcitorsfromhell site without problems using IE7. It looks as though it’s about incompetent solicitors above all else (don’t read documents carefully, won’t alert you to potential problems etc). Clarke Wilmott’s appearance there should probably give some cause for optimism.
All I found about Clarke Willmott on solicitorsfromhell was that they “act for Customs and Excise”.
Sting must have know, after all he’s an ex teacher. Maybe he was desperate for the cash and can’t be bothered, like so many others today, dare I say Arsenal here.
My sister’s an ex teacher and she don’t not know nuffink.
I’m sure you’re right about this being propaganda for the Karimov dynasty Craig, but i think you’re being pretty harsh on Sumner – he did all this for free, believing he was helping ordinary Uzbeks through charity. He may well know little or nothing about the Karimov government – i knew nothing till i read some Observer articles about you years back.
Duncan
I don’t know if he did it for free or not. I rather doubt it.
In his previous incarnation wasn’t Sting part of a group called Police which itself was in a controversy about being linked to the CIA through a Wayne Copeland?
Perhaps the CIA link still prevails?
He may work for the government Craig. In your next thread you talk about Ghana – geez, there’s a whole frickin dept there.
Correction: In the ‘seventies and ‘eighties Sumner led a band called The Police in which the drummer was Stewart Copeland. Copeland’s father was in the CIA.
You could be right Craig – i can’t find any info on whether he was paid or not. Still – like MJ says it might be worth sending him a copy of ‘Murder in Samarkand’ so he’ll definitely know for sure who and what he’s involved with if Ms Karimova approaches him again. Then there’s a chance he’ll say no next time.