Polaris Institute Urges Solidarity Actions for Water Warriors in India Challenging Coca Cola

Nearly a year ago, a global gathering took place in New Delhi India called the People World Water Forum. Activists from over 60 countries came together to build international collaboration to stop the theft of the world's water.

One of the major commitments that came from this forum was to launch a global offensive against key corporations who are major exploiters of global water resources. Communities throughout India have witnessed one corporation - Coca Cola Company extract vast amounts of water from the country to manufacture its beverages.

The consequences have been dire, leaving the land parched and polluted from the company's waste products. With tremendous courage, citizens from India, in the State of Uttar Pradesh marched 150 miles from one Coke bottling facility to another to register their opposition of Coke's massive water takings and pollution of the land.

On the final day of the foot march as they headed for the gates of the Coca-Cola Company they were met with a violent attack by the police forces who used canes to beat the villagers, including women and children. To view images of the march and barbaric attack click on http://www.indiaresource.org/campaigns/coke/2004/mehdiganjgallery.html

Organizers in India have reason to believe that Coca-Cola have had role in the police action and arrests of some of those on the march.

The water warriors in India - who have repeatedly stood up to this corporation need support from the global community now.

This is a call out to send protest messages to the CEO of Coke directly registering global outrage with the events that have taken place India. Check out either of these sites which enable free faxes to be sent to the CEO of Coca Cola Corporation.

http://www.indiaresource.org/action/faxcoke.php

http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/India/ Government/Embassies_and_Consulates/

If you wish to add your organization's name to a list of concerned groups that can be used to demonstrate global alarm when advocating to Indian authorities please send a short note to [email protected] with the message Coke out of India in the subject line. We will post this list of concerned groups on our website so that it can be used as an advocacy tool when you contact the Indian embassy or consulate in your country.

For more information on Coke's corporate practices world wide check out the new corporate profile of Coca Cola Company at http://www.polarisinstitue.org

Please, take a moment to be in solidarity in a global campaign to protect the world water against corporate theft.

Tony Clarke & Karl Flecker

Polaris Institute

Canada