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Sting Cancels Kazakhstan Date Over Treatment of Oil Workers

Empics/PA

Sting has pulled an upcoming Kazakhstan date from his tour schedule over fears that playing the date would promote the country's "repression" of oil and gas workers.

A statement posted on his official website on Sunday, July 3, said that human rights organisation Amnesty International liaised with Sting ahead of the scheduled performance -- which was due to take place on Monday night -- about friction between the country's regime and their oil and gas workers.

Sting was due to play at the Astana Day Festival, a government-led celebration of cultural events, but, as the Telegraph reports, oil workers in the country's Western area have been on strike for more than 40 days over apparent poor treatment.

Amnesty International, which has a long-running association with Sting, believes that fulfilling the date would have been endorsing the country's regime -- something that the Police man certainly isn't keen on doing. He stated that playing the show would have been stepping over a "virtual picket line" and that the workers need "support".

In the statement, Sting said, "Hunger strikes, imprisoned workers and tens of thousands on strike represents a virtual picket line which I have no intention of crossing. The Kazakh gas and oil workers and their families need our support and the spotlight of the international media on their situation in the hope of bringing about positive change."

Watch the Video for Sting's 'Englishman in New York'

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Dmitriy Vassilyev

He didn't care about that in 2009, when he performed concert in Uzbekistan (in 2009). Uzbekistan is known by human rights violations (at least, here, in KZ, Bible is not forbidden).

July 05 2011 at 7:27 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply