|
Home--News
Major Protest at Coke Museum in Atlanta
Activists Reject Museum as "Fairy Tale" Land
For Immediate Release
June 30, 2007
Contact:
Amit Srivastava, India Resource Center +1 415 336 7584 E: info@IndiaResource.org
Atlanta: Over a hundred protesters gathered today at the New World
Of Coke museum in Atlanta - the hometown of Coca-Cola - to question
the company's human rights and environmental abuses.
Banner at Coca-Cola Museum Photo: A. Samulon/India Resource Center
|
|
A 20-foot banner - Coca-Cola Destroys Lives, Livelihoods, Communities
- was hung in front of the museum as speakers from denounced the company's
practices in India, Colombia and internationally.
"This World of Coke museum is a fairy tale land, and the real side
of Coke is littered with abuses," said Amit Srivastava of the India
Resource Center, the primary organizer of the protest. "We are here
to set the record straight."
The New World of Coke is Coca-Cola's latest museum that opened on
May 24, 2007, and promises visitors to "Discover the secret formula
to happiness within!"
Protesters also delivered a large picture of a protest against Coca-Cola
in India as an exhibit to be added to the museum.
"The museum is a shameful attempt by the Coca-Cola company to hide
its crimes," said Sanjay M.G. of the National Alliance of People's
Movements, the largest coalition of grassroots movements in India.
Students from the United Students Against Sweatshops also staged a
die-in to reflect Coca-Cola's human rights abuses in Colombia and
globally.
The Coca-Cola company has been accused of creating severe water shortages
and polluting the land and water around its bottling facilities in
India. One of Coca-Cola's largest bottling plants in India has been
shut down since March 2004 due to community opposition.
More than 20 colleges and universities in the US, UK and Canada have
removed Coca-Cola from campuses as a result of student-led initiatives
to apply pressure on the company.
The protest came during the United States Social Forum, a gathering
of primarily US-based social movements. Coca-Cola products were banned
from most forum events, including the main venue - the Civic Center
- as a result of the campaign.
The action against Coca-Cola in Atlanta was endorsed by a large number
of groups participating in the United States Social Forum, including
Indigenous Environmental Network, United Students Against Sweatshops,
National Alliance of People's Movements (India), Grassroots Global
Justice, Southwest Network for Economic and Environmental Justice,
Southwest Workers Union, Black Mesa Water Coalition, Ruckus Society,
Massachusetts Global Action, NYC AIDS Housing Network and India Resource
Center.
For more information, visit www.IndiaResource.org
---ends---
FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. India Resource Center is making this article available in our efforts to advance the understanding of corporate accountability, human rights, labor rights, social and environmental justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
|
