The struggle to unionize workers at a Coca-Cola bottling facility in Carepa, Colombia has resulted in the murder of one leader on the day the company was supposed to respond to the union. Days later paramilitary forces entered the plant and told workers: reign from the union, leave town or be murdered. Then the forces burned down the union hall and 40 workers were forced to resign from the union.

This is nothing new - in recent years, seven trade union leaders at Coke bottling plants have been tortured and murdered. Other unionists that supported the Coke workers have also been tortured and murdered. In dangerous Colombia 62 labour activists have been killed this year.

In an unusual and bold move, Colombian unions, supported by some USA unions are going to court in the USA to press charges of human rights abuses against USA based companies - Coke and its associated bottling companies.   The case is still in court and the suit has drawn much needed attention to Colombia and the actions of USA-based transnational corporations around the world.

In the meantime, the USA government provides massive military aid to Colombia's right wing government and USA is Colombia's largest investor. Drugs, oil, minerals, even flowers from Colombia end up in the USA and benefit USA elites. There is an international call for a boycott against Coca-Cola products to support the workers in Colombia, added to the boycott because the company support George Bush and his war policies.

If you need any more reasons to boycott Coke - then think about this: tests in India have shown that Coke there is polluted with pesticides. In one part of India, Coke has bought the groundwater and forbids local people from using their wells. In other places, Coke has drained the ground water dry.

And, do you know the last time Coke or its water, Dasani, was independently tested here? So turn on your tap, drink fair trade tea and coffee and locally made juice. You will be healthier and richer and you will be performing a political action! It's a lot easier than being shot for your principles.

North American consumers can support the "Campaign to Stop Killer Coke" by writing letters to the company's board members (many of whom also sit on boards of General Electric, Georgia Pacific, Avon products, Chevron-Texaco and other giant companies) and demand justice for workers in Colombia. Until our demands are heeded we say: we will boycott Coke, Dasani, Sprite, Fanta, Minute Maid and Nestea. (by TW)

INJUSTICE!   It's unthinkable! It's undrinkable!

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For more information see: www.killercoke.org   Contact Email: stopkillercoke@aol.com