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Statement from Plachimada, India to Coca-Cola Shareholders Meeting
April 19, 2005
The community of Plachimada in Kerala has experienced severe hardships
as a result of Coca-Cola's bottling operations in the community. April
22, 2005 will mark the third year anniversary of a constant vigil
that we have kept in front of Coca-Cola's factory gates in Plachimada.
The Coca-Cola company management has been derelict in its duties,
and it has refused to report the major liabilities it has already
incurred in Plachimada. These include creating severe water shortages
in the area, polluting the groundwater and soil and distributing toxic
waste to farmers.
Coca-Cola MUST meet the demands of the community which include:
- Shut down the Plachimada plant immediately, without any conditions
- Compensate all the affected members of the community who have lost
livelihoods as a result of Coca-Cola's practices
- Drop all legal
complaints against the community and withdraw from all cases which
appeal against the decisions of the village council and courts.
- Rehabilitate the workers who will lose their jobs as a result of the
shutdown
- Admit liability for the deterioration of the water quality
as a result of pollution and rapid extraction
- Admit liability for
the long term consequences of the exposure to toxic waste distributed
by the Coca-Cola company to farmers
Our resolve has already shut down the Plachimada plant for over a
year now.
We will continue our struggle for justice until the Coca-Cola company
meets all these demands. Signed
Anti Coca-Cola Struggle Committee
Plachimada Solidarity Committee
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