Coca-cola...the biggest brand in the world after Microsoft (ahem ahem.....and pardon me if i am outdated..this was what was told to me when i got a job in IBM)..the word coke "arandomoose tells me is hte second most used word in every language...after the word okay".i didnt know this..and neither did u ..isint moose such a smartie..so go read his blog for more gyaan."the conglomerate which gave us a RED HAPPY SANTA CLAUS (its true..coke made santa red...to promote their drink....) is now in soup..and about time too.
Often with great power comes great indiscretion...large corporations have often sunk under the weight of these nefarious activities...ENRON...et.al. the list is endless.
Coke has made all these look insignificant in face of binding proof of the murder of its employees in Columbia. 7 Trade union leaders have been killed for challenging the dominating, often suffocating nature of work at the plants...unions have been silenced using paramilitary forces, and the 6 largest shareholders, (who are also the high priests at Sun Trust Bank) one of who has served as a human rights member in the Carter Administration sees it as a plot to maim Coke!!!!...
Coke has bullied its way in the past too...in india..there have been several protests..and lawsuits as the plants in India follow none of the rules mentioned in the agreements- depleting water table levels and forcing local workers to walk many miles away to even get a bucket of water. Plants in Plachimada, Kerala;Mehdiganj, Varanasi; Kala Dera, near Jaipur, Rajasthan(where the sinking water table has created water shortages for over 50 villages), Kudus village in Thane district in Maharashtra( where after exhausting water supplies in the area, the plant now imports water across pipelines from a RIVER!!!!!!) have all seen titanic struggles from poor local denizens, against the mighty corporation backed by local governments, more interested in getting a share of the profits.!!!
Is it really that important for local governments, that while their citizens suffer, their coffers fill. I thought democracy was " for the people, by the people and of the people" someone forgot the adjective "rich" huh!!!!
Anyway, there are still a few positives.. 10 major colleges in the US have banned the sale of Coke on campuses, till the charges are disproved..which hopefully wont be :)..The latest in the line was UMich on December 31st :)...These directives are owing to the pressure on the schools by the Student Unions.... It is a matter of joy and pride to see fellow students...contributing their two cents worth to society.Coke is also banned from most middle and high schools in the US too owing to its high calorie content as part of the reduce obesity campaign in the US..
I have been an ardent fan of coke products for the past 6 years..but somewhere down the line.. reading stuff and realising the gravity of the situations being created in developing countries..these are but two of many... have now decided..enough is enough..am making my own small contribtuion...i have Banned Coke from my life...
As a new year dawns, and all of us make silly resolutions....why not we take a step to contribute more to society that all of us have an obligation in making it enjoyable for everyone.... Please opt for banning coke from your lives....
Not only will it help people who are involved actively in the struggle...the more they see supporting their campaign, the more they know they are being supported in a quiet way.. it will also help ur sagging health...excess of coke...erases the enamel from teeth..makes stomachs saggy...increases the nonsense calories in you...among others... :(
It will be a noble new year resolution!!!
Have a great 2006 people :)
