Thursday, June 29, 2006

And that is why you should avoid Coca Cola

Email from AID

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27^th June, 2006
NANDLAL AND MUKESH GO ON INDEFINITE HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST COCA COLA

The indefinite sit-in going on outside the Coca Cola bottling plant in Mehdiganj village, Varanasi since 23^rd March, 2006, was converted into a relay hunger strike on 23^rd June and today Nandlal, the leader of the movement, and Mukesh, the Gram Pradhan of the neighbouring Nagepur village, decided to intensify their struggle to close down the plant by going on indefinite
hunger strike. The struggle against this plant has been going on since the summer of 2003 and local villagers are fighting for their right to save their groundwater which is under threat because of the operations of the plant, drawing extraordinarily large volumes of water per day. Moreover, a recent Central Pollution Control Board report has revealed that the sludge
generated by the plant contains toxins like Cadmium, Chromium and Lead which pose an additional threat to groundwater contamination. When a senior Coca Cola official, Kalyan Ranjan, came to have a dialogue with the community on the first day of the indefinite sit-in, in response to his query as to what would it take to satisfy the local community he was
told in no uncertain terms that the people would not be satisfied in anything less than the plant shutting down. The struggle has attracted international attention and support. About 55
organization (see below) from all over the world have expressed solidarity
with the movement.
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*SUPPORT INDEFINTE FAST SINCE 27^th JUNE, 2006, BY THE LOCAL LEADERS OF THE
COMMUNITY OUTSIDE THE COCA COLA BOTTLING PLANT IN MEHDIGANJ, VARANASI, INDIA

* The Cola giants are under fire around the world for unethical corporate practices. Community groups are increasingly demanding that Coke and Pepsi stop externalizing their costs and exploiting communities.

A partial list of unethical practices by the Cola giants includes:

(1) Coca Cola involved in assassination of at least 8 union leaders and torture of other workers at company's plants in Colombia over the last five years[1]. Its saga of unjust labour practices transcends commonly held human values. The Global March against Child Labour found child workers in the production of promotional footballs for the company in Pakistan[2].

(2) Coca Cola had to pay $192 million for racial discrimination of its black workers in the USA in 2000[3].

(3) Coca Cola is a major threat to precious ground water resources which common people use for drinking and irrigation purposes. In Plachimada, Kerala, India water has dried up in a radius of 3 km from the plant site[4]. This situation threatens to displace 20,000 local habitants, while at the same time the bottling plant only gives employment to 50 local people[5]. Community groups in Mehdiganj, Sinchawar and Kaladera in India are also protesting dropping water levels owing to the companies activities.

(4) Pepsico and Coca Cola have lobbied with the Congress to cut US funds to WHO[6] after its report on the health effects of high sugar diets.

(5) In India Coca Cola and Pepsi beverages were found to have 30 times more
pesticides than the European Union standard[7]. A High Court ruling requires
these companies to mention pesticide levels on bottles[8].

(6) The sludge coming out of Coca Cola plant has been dumped in neighboring communities in Plachimada, Kerala. BBC found this sludge to contain hazardous toxins including Cadmium and Lead[9].

(7) In Africa Coca Cola did not provide relevant education and treatment on AIDS to its 100,000 employees until a public outcry in 2003[10]. Even after this it provided the relevant services only to a small number of people it considered its employees leaving out a large number of people who were associated with its operations in Africa.

(8) Coca Cola renders 5 times more people, who make locally produced drinks, jobless than it employs[11]. Dropping water levels and increasing toxicity in the water have also affected agrarian livelihoods. It is a drain on the local and rural economies.

(9) Coca Cola has been guilty of tax evasion in various countries [12]. In Mehdiganj, Varanasi Coca Cola has encroached upon village commons. In spite of the order of a former City Magistrate to demolish the portion of plant illegally built on this piece of land, no action has been taken by the administration. Coca Cola was found guilty of cheating on revenue when it
bought this plant and it was fined. It still has not paid the full amount of Rs. 35 million to the government. On 9^th December, 2005, the Company attempted to encroach upon a 100 metres road belonging to the Village Sabha in Sinhachawar, Ballia. The vigilant villagers foiled the attempt.

(10)Coca Cola influences media to stall stories unfavorable to it[13]. A number of Universities including New York University and Rutgers University have canceled their contracts with Coca Cola because they believe evidence shows that Coca Cola is involved in unethical practices.
While Cola companies reserve the right to make profits ethically, they externalize costs of production on to local and global communities which is exploitative and unethical. We oppose this. They externalize their costs through unfair wages and work conditions, through dumping of hazardous wastes on local environments and through withdrawal of millions of liters of
water ever yday, affecting health and livelihoods of local communities. There can be no recompense for losing access to water or ill health owing to exposure to toxins. These practices of the Cola companies are unjust and exploitative on a global scale. We believe that in the globalized world, communities must act globally to end such practices. We demand the Coca Cola and Pepsico stop production of their products till such time that they make products without exploitative methods and without externalizing the costs of production. Until such a time, as members of a global community, we hold these companies responsible for their actions. As consumers, we boycott their products and call upon other community groups to do so as well.

Endorsements:
National Alliance of People's Movements, Lok Samiti, Sajha Sanskriti Manch,
Gaon Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, Mehdiganj, Campaign to Stop Killer Coke (US),
Asha Parivar, Narmada Bachao Andolan, Socialist Front, Sajhi Duniya,
Samajwadi Jan Parishad, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party, Mahila Swarojgar Samiti,
Mahila Chetna Samiti, Prerna Kala Manch, Vision, Path, Grasses, Vidya
Ashram, PVCHR, PUCL, Gandhian Institute of Studies, Guria, Bhagat Singh
Youth Brigade, Prayas Prashikshan Samiti, Aasra, Jeevandan Samiti, Sarva
Sewa Sangh, Gramya, SARC, Chatra Asmita Bachao Manch, People for Animals,
Mitra, Shikhar Prashikshan Sewa Sansthan, Asmita, Achrumata Machuara
Sangathan (Tikamgarh), INSAF, Plachimada Solidarity Committee, Lok Raj
Sangathan, South Asia Parternership (Pakistan), Pakistan Social Forum,
Iniciativas de Economia Alternativa y Solidaria (Spain), EKTA (Committee for
Communal Amity), Mumbai, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People,
Community Development Library (Bangladesh), Association for Advocacy and
Legal Initiatives, Sahayog, Corporate Accountability International (US),
Polaris Institute (Canada), Minnesota Metro Women's International League for
Peace and Freedom - Corporations vs. Democracy Committee (US), Ideas to
Mobilize People Against Corporate Tyranny (US), Avalon High School Amnesty
Chapter, Minnesota (US), Anti War Committee (US), Coalition for an
Egalitarian and Pluralistic India (US), South Asia Forum (US), World Council
of Arya Samaj, Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers (US)
Contact:
Nandlal, Lok Samiti, Mehdiganj, Raja Talab, Varanasi, PIN 221311, India,
Ph: 542-2632433, Mobile: 9415300520, 9839017693, e-mail: napm_up@yahoo.com
Sandeep, Asha Parivar, A-893, Indira Nagar, Lucknow-226016, India, Ph: 522-2347365, Mobile: 9839073355, 9415022772, e-mail: ashaashram@yahoo.com
Carola Reintjes, IDEAS, Iniciativas de Economia Alternativa y Solidaria,
Avda. Amargacena, P.9-N.7-14013 Cordoba-Espana (Spain), Ph: 34 957429233,
www.ideas.coop, creintjes@ideas.coop Sanat Mohanty, 3104, 40^th Ave., South,
Minneapolis, MN 55406, USA, Ph: 612 623 3802, sanat.mohanty@gmail.com, mohantysanat@yahoo.com References [1]
"Colombia Coke Bottler Faces Death Suit", Stefan Armbruster, BBC News,
04.04.03 [2] Global March against Child Labour, "Report on Child Labour in
Football Production in Pakistan", May 2002 [3] Les Echos FRA 17/11/2000; May
1 2000, San Francisco Bay Guardian,
http://www.commondreams.org/views/050100-108.htm;
http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2000/11/17/11540.htm
[4] CorpWatch India, Nityanand Jayaraman, 28/05-02,
http://www.corpwatchindia.org/issues/PID.jsp?articleid=1603
[5] Denise Commane and Eric Toussaint, www.cadtm.org <http://www.cadtm.org/>
, 11th March, 2004 [6] The Guardian, April 21, 2003,
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,940287,00.html
[7] Report of the /Joint Committee on Pesticide Residues in and Safety
Standards for Soft Drinks, Fruit Juices and other Beverages/ of Indian
Parliament, January 27, 2004, the /Center for Science and Environment/,
India and /Pesticide Action Network//PAN (http://www.pesticideinfo.org
<http://www.pesticideinfo.org/>), including extremely dangerous pesticides
such as DDT and Lindane [8] http://www.rediff.com/money/2004/dec/06cola.htm
[9] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3096893.stm
[10] http://www.treat-your-workers.org/
<http://www.treat-your-workers.org/> ,
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/1017-02.htm
<http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/1017-02.htm> ,
http://edition.cnn.com/BUSINESS/programs/yourbusiness/stories2001/coke.aids/
[11] The plant in Mehdiganj, India produces 250,000 litres of Coca Cola in a
day and employs about 500 people. Assuming one person could produce and sell
100 litres of a local drink per day, 2,500 will be employed.
[12] http://www.indiaresource.org/news/2004/1016.html,
http://www.indiaresource.org/news/2005/1071.html,
http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/000383.html
[13] Bobby Ramakant (bobby@hdnet.org) was requested by South Africa
Broadcasting Corporation not to mention Coca-Cola by name when he was being
interviewed about human rights violations of protestors outside Coca Cola
plant in Varanasi, India in November, 2004.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Me Tarzan. You Jane?

I write this post assuming that the rental office is never going to read this blog. In a valiant attempt to sneer in the face of canned tomato industry I have taken to pot-gardening. Since my apartment is not conducive for the all-round development of a tomato plant, I sneakily camaflouged the pot outside. Like little Ms. Red Riding Hood I sneak through the forests of unknown peril to water my plant. On one of these gay jaunts I chanced upon a afro-american man (I am still never sure what it is to be politically correct. Can I just say black?) who looked like Hulk-Hogan. In addition, his monstrous size was offset by an adorable puppy.

All dogs love me. Note that this feeling is not reciprocated. This might have something to do with a childhood incident - a dying pomeranian tried to bite me when I affectionately stroked it. When I look back I understand that it is best to leave dying dogs alone. However, erring on the side of caution I avoid all dogs.

So this puppy runs around my ankles, yelping. Since running away from something so tiny would seem cowardly I try to talk. The conversation is as follows:

Me: How old is the puppy ?

Hulk-Hogan: About 6 weeks.

Meanwhile, I search for a quick getaway without seeming like a wimp.

Hulk-Hogan: How old are you ?

I was not sure if I heard him right. Is that a permitted question ? Can I not ask how old a dog is without revealing my age ? Maybe this guy was from the rental office and so was checking if I should be booked under juvenile misdemeanor or felony for growing illegal tomato plants?

I used my favorite tactic and pretended to not hear and continued playing soccer with the puppy.

Hulk-Hogan: Are you even married ?

If his first question was unexpected, this second one completely threw me off. And what does he mean by "even" ?

The coordinates of my diamond rings are (middle finger, left hand) & (ring finger, right hand). May be he was a victim of the Child Left Behind program and was confused by the unconventional location of the jewellery.

Me: Yes!

My orange-alert kicks into gear as I suddenly recall horrifying stories about physical assaults. I make a break for it. And they say I can't run fast.

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

You know it is Kali Yuga when a frog's beating heart wins over a stinking fruit

I am still reeling after watching a program Bizarre Foods: Asia on Travel Channel yesternight. Andrew Zimmern a hearty, balding (should I just say bald?) chef with a taste for the most weird foods (if you could call them that!) takes on Asia. Of course we've all heard about how the Asians love their snakes and scorpions, but Zimmern takes eating to a whole new level. Recalling from my memory, which is still mentally regurgitating, here is a list of foods that no man should ever even think about:
  • Frogs in Tokyo: Smiling Japanese chef has a group of kicking frogs and asks baby-face-with-crazy-taste to pick out one. The chosen green froggie is skinned alive (at this point I start uttering Gayatri mantra to purify myself). Jap man scoops the beating heart and hands it over to Z, who looks confused and delighted at the same time. He just plops it into his mouth, while I watch unable to comprehend what just happened. To wash down the undoubtedly delicious taste I-topped-my-frog-skinning-class Jap creates a sake with a DEAD lizard sitting in that glass. Roly-poly looked like kid-in-disneyland and drank it down, murmuring culinary comments. I ask, is it possible to even think when you know you have eaten a beating heart and a dead lizard sake. Obviously, as I am a vegetarian, averse to eating anything that moves, I would not know much about the mental powers that one garners from eating frogs.
  • What a sad ending to a possibly long life: No, not the elephant but it is the turtle or tortoise I did not observe closely enough, as I watched the whole program like one would watch a horror movie, but in this case I did not enjoy it. Well, Saddam chopped off the turtle's head and collected the gushing blood in a bowl. Come on, one needs appetizing drinks now. Human blood would have to wait for a more "broad minded" audience or is cannibalism legal in Tokyo? All drink and no solid makes Z a dull boy. So, various organs are placed in different blood-filled glasses. Imagine all the party games you can play with this one - Guess the Organ, Lotto with Body parts. Ooh! Hope Paris is reading this. Apparently nutritious and improves the virility these dishes are in great demand. I digress when I ask, which woman would even contemplate being with someone who eats anything that moves! She could be next.
  • Roasted Bats: Stick-toting villagers and Z, hike long distances to underground caves and get about a dozen fruit bats. Why choose the veggie bats ? Why not go after the vampire bats ? That would be an even contest. These bats are eventually roasted and eaten.
  • Bird Nests: That is correct. Not content with eating the inhabitants the Chinese have found a way to eat their homes. The bird saliva and excrement are major components of the nests and are known to have medicinal properties of anti-aging etc. Since they are built high up in the mountains, are very laborious to collect and so, are very expensive.
  • Durian- the fruit that stopped Z: Durian is the fruit native to Thailand, the brave general who defeats the incorrigible appetite of the philistines. It is known for a powerful odor and is banned from hotels and select public places. Anyways, Z after consuming everything from pig's ears to chicken brains could not get himself to eat a fruit.
Of course, there are probably weirder foods (really? I cannot think of any) but the point is these are popular enough to have their own stalls and fan-base. Ignoring the outliers who consume placenta (please tell me it is untrue) and human hair (I am sure no one does this), it is difficult to accept such tastes. I am not a voyeur who derived vicarious pleasure from watching this program. The only reason I watched was to be aware of the depths of human depravity.

Monday, June 12, 2006

Too much time

That is what I fear. I have all the time in the world and yet, have nothing to do. Have always been puzzled when people complain "No time to do anything". May be I have all their missing time.

With so much time to flounder I become paranoid. Surely, I waste this precious gift of life. What should I do ? That is the question that haunts me day and night. In the morning, when I wake up I think about the day that lies ahead. It seems so capacious like a walk-in closet full of empty hangars waiting for the missing shirts. And I seem to have no answers that can fill up the empty void that stretches between sleep.

I read. I cook. I watch TV. And yet even when doing those activities I fear their end for the inevitable question looms ahead -- what next? My world is thrown into disorder during the five minute break that all television programs seem to take every half hour. There are only commercials filmed. What do I do in those five minutes ? It is against my principles to watch the ads, so I am stuck desperately surfing channels, hoping to catch the tail end of some episode.

Every activity is finite in its ability to entertain. Or may be I should rephrase that. I am limited in my capacity to be entertained. A chronic disorder that has haunted me through the years. My mother, she probably best understands this ailment I suffer from. Only her wistful sighs echo from overseas, asking me "are you bored again ?".

As a child I had the right to cry and throw tantrums, to show my dissatisfaction with the way the world was run. My only article to be published in a national daily was about loneliness. And this was at the age 17. Today, as an adult, I still struggle to come to terms with the insatiability of my mind. And so I try to tire myself physically, by running or swimming. Anything to expend this energy that threatens to devour my peace of mind.

I am reminded of the tale where the devil was kept busy by the task of trying to straighten a dog's tail. May be someday I too will find a dog whose tail needs straightening. And then I shall have less time.

Friday, June 09, 2006

I deserve the pain of watching bad movies


Some questions have no answers. For example: Why do I choose to see the worst movies over and over again. Oh! If it was just watching ithem on TV then that is just a waste of time. But no..I have to pay for the pain and that is precisely what I did on June 6 2006. I don't believe in the Devil nor am I a Christian. But I am a sucker for good non-gore horror movies. And voila I went and watch THE OMEN. The movie sucked on so many levels it is difficult to pinpoint one. The kid was just a pouting little spoilt brat who just looked that - spoilt. The cinematography was lacklustre. Julia Stiles might as well have taken up another career, I suggest being a MANNEQUIN in a store. Only Mia Farrow deserves any praise. She was wonderful and was responsible for the little thrills.

The last horror movie I watched in the theater was some Japanese adaptation, the name escapes me. There were rave reviews about it. And I believed them. Sucker!

And now I didn't go by the reviews for Omen and guess what: suckered again.

Just the Lord's way of telling me to stay away from evil I suppose.