[Shef2venez] FRIDAY 22 JULY 2005 -SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COCA-COLA BOYCOTT

[John Smith]

FRIDAY 22 JULY 2005 -SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COCA-COLA
BOYCOTT

MAKE YOUR FEELINGS KNOWN

Two years ago SINALTRAINAL (the Colombian Food and Drink Workers Union)
launched an international boycott of Coca Cola and all its products, in
response to a brutal policy of terror and repression that Coca Cola had
unleashed against their own workers in Colombia. Since 1994, 8 Coca-Cola
workers and SINALTRAINAL union leaders have been assassinated by
paramilitaries, who the evidence suggests, were hired by Colombia’s
Coca-Cola management. Hundreds of other workers and union members have been
imprisoned, tortured, threatened, disappeared or forced into exile.

Individuals and social and trade union organisations all around the world
have pledged their support of the boycott (including UNISON, PCS, the
Scottish Socialist Party, Stop the War Coalition; plus SOAS, Bristol,
Middlesex, Leeds, Sussex, Queens Belfast Universities).

However Coke have refused to abandon their hard line, have refused to
negotiate with SINALTRAINAL, and the repression against the workers has
continued. Since the boycott started on 22 July 2003,

· Coke workers in Colombia had to go on hunger strike to fight mass
sackings.

· Union Vice President Juan Carlos Galvis was injured in an assassination
attempt.

· Union leader Luis Eduardo Garcia’s son escaped from a paramilitary kidnap.

· 4 members of union leader Efrain Guerrero’s family were slaughtered in
their beds by paramilitaries

· Coke launched their seventh libel case against a SINALTRAINAL leader.

When the union launched the boycott campaign, they knew there would be a
price to pay, and are relying on international support and solidarity to see
them through to the end of their fight for justice. We have a moral
obligation to support the workers of SINALTRAINAL.

 

SEND PROTEST MESSAGES ON 22 July 2005

On 22 July this year, please send messages of protest to Coca-Cola (an
example is included). Fax, email or telephone (or all 3) to make your
feelings known.

The addresses are: Tim Wilkinson Director of Public Affairs and
Communications Coca-Cola GB. Telephone (020) 8237 3000 Fax (020) 8237 3700.
E-mail twilkinson at eur.ko.com

You could also try Customer Complaints which is 0800 227711

Please send a copy plus any response to us at colombia_sc at hotmail.com

 

[PS News, Materials, Finance:

1. For the latest news of popular resistance to Coke in India see India
Resource Center at HYPERLINK
"http://www.indiaresource.org/"http://www.indiaresource.org/ , and for
breaking news from the US see Campaign to Stop Killer Coke at HYPERLINK
"http://www.killercoke.org/"http://www.killercoke.org

2. Order you copy of "The Anti-Coke Manifesto - Why You Should Support the
Boycott Campaign" pamphlet £1 and "Killer Cola in Colombia" magazine £1.50
plus stickers, petitions and leaflets from Colombia Solidarity Campaign, PO
Box 8446, London N17 6NZ.

3. We need your donations - make payable to "Colombia Solidarity Campaign"
and send to above address.]


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