[Shadow_Group] UPDATE:STRUGGLES AGAINST COCA COLA WORLDWIDE
shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca
shadowgroup-l at lists.resist.ca
Tue Nov 30 20:51:03 PST 2004
*STRUGGLES AGAINST COCA COLA WORLD WIDE - NEWS UPDATE
*
*Contents:
1.. India - Police Attack Coca-Cola Protest, Over 350 Arrested
2. Colombia -Legal Attack on Sinaltrainal Crumbles
3. Italy - Town Of Empoli Joins Boycott
4. England - Leeds Student Movement
**5. England - Coca Cola could bleed Malvern Hills dry
6. Ireland - Belfast Students Vote
7. USA - Oberlin College
8. USA - Elizabeth Nadeau arrested for remembering assassinated Coca
Cola worker
9. USA - Hedge fund shorts its way into political activism
*[P.S. sorry this is very long. We're working on a better way of doing
it, next time hopefully.]
*Also see below: _Update on Super Urgent Action - Lina and Miguel
_*1. POLICE ATTACK COCA-COLA PROTEST, OVER 350 ARRESTED
November 25, 2004 (Varanasi, India): Over a thousand community members
adversely affected by Coca-Cola marched to the Coca-Cola factory
premises in Mehdiganj, near the holy city of Varanasi in India on
November 24, demanding that the factory shut down. The march in
Mehdiganj was the end of a 10 day, 250 km march from Ballia, the site of
another Coca-Cola bottling facility, to Mehdiganj, bringing attention to
Coca-Cola's negative impacts on communities across India.
Communities living around Coca-Cola's bottling plants across India are
facing severe water shortages, and the groundwater and soil have also
been polluted, directly as a result of Coca-Cola's bottling operations
in the area.
Towards the end of the rally, the marchers decided to march to the
factory gates, about a hundred meters from the site of the rally. The
armed police reacted violently and swiftly, with no warnings.
Over 350 of the marchers were arrested, with close to 100 with injuries,
and they were held without being booked overnight.
"Coca-Cola is stealing our water, our land and getting away with it
legally. And they are calling our struggle for our livelihoods, our
existence, illegal", said Nandlal Master, one of the organizers from Lok
Samiti and the National Alliance of People's Movements. "We do not
accept this, and our struggle with prevail", continued Master.
Full report at http://www.indiaresource.org/press/2004/mehdiganjattack.html<http://www.indiaresource.org/press/2004/mehdiganjattack.html>
2. THE CAMPAIGN BY COCA -COLA AND THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL PROTECTION, TO
REVOKE SINALTRAINAL'S STATUTES, HAS CRUMBLED.
On 8 July 2004, Coca-Cola presented a petition to revoke Sinaltrainal's
statutes, making it impossible for people to join the union. This
petition was accepted and agreed by the Ministry of Social Protection
through resolution number 2994 of 10 August 2004. Sinaltrainal were
denied any right of appeal, and the decision was ratified definitively
on 2 November 2004.
In the face of this abuse and scheming by the Ministry of Social
Protection and by Coca-Cola, part of their policy of persecution against
Sinaltrainal, we responded in two ways. Firstly we occupied 3 churches
in Bogota on 11 October, demanding respect for life and for free
association. Secondly, on 5 November 2004, we petitioned the Supreme
Judicial Council that they rule in our favour with respect to the rights
of due process, freedom of association, equality, freedom of conscience
and guarantees regarding the exercise of trade union rights. On 22
November 2004, magistrates Paulina Canosa Suarez and Jose Fernando
Castro Garcia resolved to uphold the claim by Sinaltrainal and hence to
guarantee the above trade union rights. They also gave the Ministry of
Social Protection 48 hours in which to make a new decision strictly
within their jurisdiction. Furthermore, they ordered that the Ministry
of Social Protection refrain from repeating similar actions in the
future, or from taking decisions that affect the existence of trade
unions or their statutes.
These actions clearly show the existence of a strategic alliance between
Coca-Cola and the Ministry of Social Protection against Sinaltrainal and
our workers. We again insist on an end to this abuse of both Labour
Standards and Colombian Law. With this in mind we intend to initiate
criminal proceedings to prevent any such future perversions of justice.
We would like to thank all the organisations and individuals in Colombia
and throughout the world who have given us their solidarity in this just
struggle, and who have made this victory possible. You have shown that
despite the power of Coca-Cola and the government, they will not easily
be able to wipe us out. Your solidarity makes us strong. Our gratitude
and respect goes to all those who have contributed to this small but
significant victory, which will motivate us to continue resisting.
Yours
Luis Javier Correa Suarez
President, Sinaltrainal.
3. ITALY - TOWN OF EMPOLI JOINS BOYCOTT
>"The Mayor of Empoli approved the motion to join the International
Boycott Campaign of Coca Cola. The decision was made at the end of a
visit to the Tuscany region by the Colombian trade union SINALTRAINAL.
This is the same motion that was approved by District 11 in Rome and
which is now being discussed by many local authorities.
Meanwhile COCA COLA - ITALIA DID NOT ANSWER ANY OF THE CHARGES in the
proposal presented during a public event on 8th November in Rome,
related to the carrying out of an "Independent Commission" to travel to
Colombia to assess the legitimacy and weight of the allegations in person.
The national assembly of the "Network of New Municipalities" meeting in
Bologna on 13th November in which around 250 municipalities and local
institutions from all over Italy met, in CONSIDERING THE POSITION OF THE
MULTINATIONAL, affiliated to the Boycott Campaign by acclamation.
These decisions and the support received by the Boycott Campaign
represent a great step forward by Italian civil society and some
institutions concerning the Genocide that continues to be committed
against the trade union, social, peasant and indigenous movements in
Colombia."
Roma 16-11-04
[Contact Reboc-RETE BOICOTTAGGIO COCA COLA http://www.nococacola.info<http://www.nococacola.info/> ]
4. ENGLAND - LEEDS UNIVERSITY MOVEMENT AGAINST COCA-COLA
"Despite desperate tactics by company representatives trying to link
their Colombian workers to terrorism, Leeds students voted last week
that Coca Cola is 'a highly unethical company responsible for needless
suffering worldwide' and implemented a raft of advisory measures to
remove its products.
The motion was passed after a fortnight of campaigning by the Leeds
Students Social Forum, a new social group pioneering the revival of the
'student activist' stereotype.
Action began on the 3rd of November with a stall in the Union foyer
offering information and selling t-shirts, posters and stickers. This
helped raise initial awareness of the campaign. Two further stalls
followed it on the 11th & 12th November, helping concrete the campaign
and increase interest in the LUSF.
On the 16th November, LUSF hosted a debate between Coca-Cola, NUSSL and
Colombian Solidarity. Speaking for Coca-Cola were Lauren Branston, UK
Communications, and Raphael Fernandez, Public Affairs and Communications
Director for Costa Rica. Speaking for Colombia Solidarity was David
Rhys-Jones, and Jamie Agombar representing the National Union of
Students Services Ltd. (NUSSL).
Coca-Cola traditionally used the simple tactic of denying responsibility
for their alleged crimes in Colombia, but reverted to a new tactic of
attempting to deligitimize Sinaltrainal and link the trade union with
the Colombian guerrillas. Attempts to confuse the crowd by referring to
bottling plants other than those in question, and to other trade unions,
was of some effect, although David clarified the situation with his
indicative closing comments.
NUSSL, the NUS's trading consortium, referred to their constructive
engagement policies with Coca-Cola and other companies, but was unable
to answer questions on his own morals, refusing to condone the drinking
of Coca-Cola products. After the opportunity to pose questions to the
speakers, which included linking Coca-Cola's actions in India to the
violation of UN Millennium Development Goals and NUSSL's contracts
enforcing Coca-Cola's hegemonic domination of the market place, the
majority of the crowd left satisfied that the allegations against
Coca-Cola needed to be investigated.
On the 18th of November, students at Leeds University passed a motion
with advisory status resolving:
1.. To propose a motion to the NUS Annual Conference and the NUSSL
Annual Conference that all compulsory contracts be ended and that no
further compulsory contracts should be made in future;
2.. That an NUS disaffiliation referendum shall be held if NUSSL refuse
to end all compulsory contracts;
3.. That posters and/or other information are to be displayed next to
all Coca-Cola machines and Coca-Cola outlets in the Union explaining why
we believe that Coca-Cola is an unethical company;
4.. To host a conference for all Student Unions seeking major reform of
student representation on a national level, either through working
within the NUS or outside of it.
5.. That such a Conference should be held before the deadline for
motions to the next NUS Annual Conference, and that the Campaigns
Committee and/or Union Council should define the precise nature of this
Conference;
6.. That the Union will continue to critically support NUS unless
attempts to end NUSSL compulsory contracts are unsuccessful, or until a
general meeting of the student body decides otherwise.
This motion has to be ratified on Monday 29th November by the Union
Council, where criticism is expected from the right over the second and
fourth proposals. The challenge that remains is to raise awareness of
the blatant lack of democracy in the NUS, despite recent attempts at
reform.
If students are unable to regain control of the NUS from the hands of
NUSSL and its corporate contracts, then students have to seriously
consider alternatives to the corporative and undemocratic system they
are part of."
To contact the Leeds students e-mail: sparta at riseup.net<mailto:sparta at riseup.net>
e.. ENGLAND MALVERN HILLS: COCA-COLA PLANS 'WILL BLEED HILLS DRY'
By Nick Britten
(Filed: 23/11/2004)
"Plans by the drinks giant Coca-Cola to bore into the Malvern hills to
quadruple its supply of mineral water could have a catastrophic effect
on plants and wildlife, environmental campaigners said yesterday."
Full report
at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/23/nwater23.xml<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/11/23/nwater23.xml>
6. IRELAND - BELFAST STUDENTS VOTE FOR BOYCOTT
Belfast, Queens University Student Council's meeting held on 25th
November 04, passed the following motion:
"This council support the Colombian trade unions call for a worldwide
boycott of Coca-Cola, until Coca-Cola apologise to, and compensates the
families of the Coca-Cola employees who were murdered, because they were
members of the trade union employed by Coca-Cola in its bottling plant
in Colombia. Moreover, the Coca-Cola Boycott will only be removed when
Coca-Cola recognise the human rights of workers in Colombia to belong to
a trade union of the own choice free from the threat of murder/terror.
The council have place the boycott of all Coca-cola products into
immediate affect, further more; all profits made by the students union
from the sale of Coca-Cola products we be donated to the Colombian trade
union Sintraemcali to help fund their fight for justice for the
employees Coca-Cola, and for all workers in Colombia."
7. USA - OBERLIN COLLEGE BANS COKE
The Campaign to Stop Killer Coke writes:
"We have been notified by our contact at Oberlin College that Coke will
be removed from their campus. This is the letter sent by Oberlin's
president, Nancy Dye, to the college purchasing committee, announcing
her decision to ban coke products:
November 10, 2004
Sarah Bishop, Chair
Campus Purchasing Committee
Oberlin College
Dear Sarah,
Thank you for your fine letter regarding the recommendation of the
College Purchasing Committee about the sale of Coca-Cola products on
campus. I greatly appreciate the thoroughness with which your committee
did its job in asking the Workers Rights Consortium for help in
investigating the allegations of violence against trade unionists
abetted by the Coca-Cola Company and its bottling partners in Colombia.
I have great respect for the Workers Rights Consortium and its
integrity, and I am quite dismayed that the Coca-Cola Corporation has
refused to cooperate with any independent investigation of its
subsidiaries in Colombia. I have reviewed your comprehensive set of
findings and recommendations and have decided to end the sale of
Coca-Cola products on Oberlin's campus, unless and until the Purchasing
Committee recommends otherwise.
I will ask our College Dining Services as well as the Oberlin College
Inn to discontinue use and sale of Coca-Cola products in all food
services as well as vending machines, and I will include a copy of your
letter as an explanation about why we are taking this action.
Many thanks to the Purchasing Committee for your careful and
comprehensive review.
Sincerely,
Nancy Dye
President"
More news from USA at http://www.killercoke.org/<http://www.killercoke.org/>
8. USA - ELIZABETH NADEAU ARRESTED FOR REMEMBERING ASSASSINATED COCA
COLA WORKER
From the Gates of Fort Benning November 21, 2004
"Among those arrested today was Elizabeth Nadeau, 27, a student and
member of the Steelworkers Union. Elizabeth was part of a group of
people who scaled two barbed-wire fences to cross onto Fort Benning
calling for the closure of the SOA. Elizabeth was drawn to participate
in this act of conscience, risking up to six months in prison, to be in
solidarity with her brothers and sisters in Colombia. Today she
remembers Isidrio Gil, a Colombian labor leader killed in 1996, and that
one of every four union organizers killed in the world is Colombian."
Full report SOA Watch http://americas.org/item_16988<http://americas.org/item_16988>
9. HEDGE FUND SHORTS ITS WAY INTO POLITICAL ACTIVISM
By Thomas Kostigen
Last Updated: 11/23/2004 1:24:16 PM
http://www.investors.com/breakingnews.asp?journalid=24119943&brk=1<http://www.investors.com/breakingnews.asp?journalid=24119943&brk=1>
SANTA MONICA, Calif. (CBS.MW) -- Mad as hell about corporate policy? A
new hedge fund is, and it's putting its money where its mouth is with an
investment strategy of shorting shares of companies with which it takes
issue.
By buying put options, or shorting a stock, the hedge fund hopes shares
will fall, in effect punishing a company for what it calls "misdeeds"
and profiting all the while. A portion of profits will go toward mending
the social wounds inflicted by target companies.
The fund is the brainchild of Max Keiser, the investment activist, for
lack of a better definition, who launched Karmabanque.com several years
ago on a similar philosophy. Zac Goldsmith, son of famed corporate
raider Sir James Goldsmith, is also a partner in the venture.
Goldsmith's The Ecologist magazine will audit, track and publish results.
"For every 1,000 new boycotters, I and my group of investors/activists,
including Zac, will increase the size of the fund by 5,000 pounds," says
Keiser. "All profits (minus a two percent processing fee) will go the
groups/people who are the victims of bad companies."
The London-based fund's first target is Coca Cola (KO).
"As Coke's stock goes down, and as we collect more boycotters, the
victims of Coke's business model in places like India and Colombia will
get all the dividends from the fund," says Keiser.
Keiser et al are waging their "boycott" at Coke because of claims and
actions against the multinational conglomerate that allege human rights
violations, racism, and health concerns, among other disperse findings
which have plagued the company.
Coke has issued numerous public statements with regard to the
allegations Keiser and his investors/activists address. The company has
defended and/or clarified its position on many of its supposed
violations, and flatly denied some of the more outrageous claims (such
as the use of "illegal armed groups" in Colombia).
To be sure, there's quite of bit of hyperbole in Keiser's subjective
recitation of Coke's abuses. Indeed, in eyeing other companies for what
he calls a "smart boycott," or short-selling, Keiser is downright
virulent (His description of Microsoft ills is particularly demonstrative.)
While Keiser's rhetoric may be better blotted out, his financial metric
is worth a look. He calls this metric the Boycott Vulnerability Ratio.
This ratio is the company's market capitalization divided by trailing
annual sales. That number, he says, can then determine exactly how much
damage each dollar of sales lost to a boycott would affect share price.
Coke, for example, with a BVR of five would be more vulnerable than
Exxon, with a BVR of one.
Coke is trading at about $40 per share, with sales of $20 billion and a
market capitalization of $100 billion. That means, using Keiser's BVR,
for every person who stops drinking a can of Coke, shareholders will see
$5 in market capitalization.
This would all seem profoundly cuckoo if Goldsmith wasn't involved. The
heir has a fortune of some $700 million with which to make a stand. He's
vocal about his desire to smash global capitalism and promote
environmentalism worldwide. With investing power like that, a short-sale
boycott strategy might just raise corporate eyebrows.
Already, short-sales put pressure on a stock to fall. Sophisticated
investors regularly check with Nasdaq to gauge short-interest data.
Companies such as Netflix may have even seen its stock price fall more
sharply recently because of so many people taking short positions.
(Barchart.com shows resistance levels to stock prices, taking into
account short-sales data.)
In any event, there are loads of hedge funds and other investment
vehicles that specialize in short-sales. (The flamboyant Feshbach
Brothers made short-selling fashionable in the 1980s before flaming out
in the early 1990s.) Some have even tried socially conscious investing
to try and sidestep corporate malfeasance.
But Keiser and his group of investors are looking to combine socially
conscious investing with short-selling strategies to jujitsu
corporations with their own capital market power; Some may fall.
For more information on Smart Boycotts, see www.karmabanque.com<http://www.karmabanque.com/>
<http://www.karmabanque.com/<http://www.karmabanque.com/>> or www.theecologist.org<http://www.theecologist.org/>
<http://www.theecologist.org/<http://www.theecologist.org/>>.
*Update on Super Urgent Action - Lina and Miguel
*We have just received confirmation that Lina Castano and her son Miguel
have NOT been deported and that they are in the process of being moved
to Oakington Reception Centre. We will provide a fuller update tomorrow
once we have spoken to her solicitor and have more information. Please
keep the pressure on the Home Office in any ways that you can think of.
regards
Bristol branch
*Bristol Evening Post article and comment:
*Lina Castano and Miguel Castano Bristol Evening Post 27 Nov 2004
*DAWN RAID LEAVES MUM AND SON FACING RETURN TO COLOMBIA
*BY SIMON PEEVERS S.PEEVERS
11:00 - 27 November 2004
A Mother and her seven-year-old child were taken from their Bristol home
in a pre-dawn raid by immigration officials and are now at a detention
centre waiting to be deported. Friends of the pair have organised a
last-ditch campaign to stop them being sent back to their homeland,
where they fear they could be murdered.
Seven police officers and an immigration officer went into the home of
Colombian asylum seekers Lina Castano and her son Miguel without warning
at 6am on Thursday.
They said they had a warrant to detain them under immigration rules,
despite the Home Office having not made a final decision on their asylum
application, which is still going through the system.
Lina was strip-searched and a friend said she was forced to get dressed
in front of a male officer.
It is also claimed that officers presumed she could not speak English
and made derogatory remarks in front of her.
The pair were taken away without being given a chance to pack a bag.
Josh Richards, who was sharing his Easton house with the family, said:
"A woman with a warrant said she was here to look for Lina and Miguel.
"The police came in and took control of the house.
"Having been woken in her pyjamas, Lina was then strip searched and left
in her bra and knickers in front of male police officers.
"Assuming she didn't understand English, the officers stood round
discussing the cheek of these 'illegals' daring to exist within our
borders before Lina vocally informed them that, not only was she not
stupid, but that she did speak English and her family had reported to
the police station every month for the past three-and-a-half years.
"She was treated like a criminal and was not given a chance to take
anything with her."
Pupils at Miguel's school, St Nicholas of Tolentine in St Jude's, were
said to be upset at the news of his detention.
Miguel has written a letter to say how sorry he was to miss school.
He said: "I got arrested but I didn't do anything wrong."
The class have written letters back, some apologising for the actions of
the British government.
Head teacher Isobel Flexman said: "Miguel was a bright and friendly boy
who was doing very well here. I have rarely met such a nice family.
"The children here have collected a few things for Miguel and were in
tears when they heard about what happened."
Lina, 34, and her husband Luis Orozco Collazolos, came to Britain more
than three years ago from Colombia seeking asylum.
Mr Collazolos, whose application for asylum has already been turned
down, was not at home at the time of the raid and is now in hiding.
Mr Collazolos was an engineer in Cali, Colombia, where he says he
discovered the company he was working for was responsible for polluting
a river, causing deformities in new-born babies.
He says that when he tried to alert the authorities, his father and
brother were murdered.
They fled for their lives and have since established a life in
Bristol.Mr Collazolos found a job as a kitchen porter as soon as he had
a work permit and his wife works for Ikea. Both were able to work
because they applied for asylum before the Government changed the rules
to stop asylum seekers from working.
The family fears that they will face certain death if they are returned
to Colombia because they say the authorities are corrupt and there is
nobody to protect them from those who want them dead.
A campaign has been launched by friends to try to stop the family from
being deported.
Lina has been told that she has seven days to make her case to stay in
Britain and will be held at Oakington Immigration Reception Centre in
Longstanton, Cambridgeshire.
After seven days she could be sent back to Colombia with her son if the
authorities do not accept her case.
Amparo Vizcaino, a family friend, said: "Their case has not even been
heard and they have been taken without warning."
Campaigners met with Jean Corston MP yesterday.
A spokeswoman from her office said: "We will be taking up the case of
this family."
*TREATED WITH NO COMPASSION
*11:00 - 27 November 2004
One minute, Lisa Castano and her seven-year-old son Miguel were tucked
up in their beds. The next, they were the targets of a pre-dawn raid by
a clutch of police officers and carted off to a detention centre.
If the details they have given their friends are correct, seven police
officers and an immigration official served their warrant on these
asylum-seekers at 6am on Thursday.
It is claimed Lisa was strip-searched, forced to get dressed in front of
a male officer and had to listen to derogatory remarks about "illegals".
She and her son were whisked away to the other side of the country
without even being given time to pack a bag.
And all this, before the Home Office has even made a final decision
about their case.
The Evening Post has been as vocal as anyone about illegal immigrants,
and failed asylum seekers who go to ground and scrounge a living off the
rest of us. But the Castano family is different, and surely a case for
compassion - not the brutally abrupt treatment they have been given.
They have been in this country for three and a half years after husband
Luis blew the whistle on his company for a water pollution scandal. Luis
was under threat after his father and brother were murdered.
They have settled in Bristol and have jobs. Miguel, who has already
spent half his young life here, is getting on famously at school, where
his head teacher said: "I have rarely met such a nice family."
Anyone who has a heart could not read Miguel's letter of apology to his
teacher for missing school without feeling ashamed at this country's
officialdom.
Jean Corston has met the group of people campaigning for the Castanos
and will take up the case with the Home Secretary.
We can only hope that the Bristol East MP can prod the ministry into
demonstrating a more decent, more British attitude towards what seems to
be a genuine family with a genuine justification for being allowed to stay.
Colombia Solidarity Campaign
PO Box 8446
London N17 6NZ
Tel: 07743 743041
Email: colombia_sc at hotmail.com<mailto:colombia_sc at hotmail.com> <mailto:colombia_sc at hotmail.com<mailto:colombia_sc at hotmail.com>>
www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk<http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/>
<http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk<http://www.colombiasolidarity.org.uk/>>
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