In response to the message sent a few days ago by NUSSL to the Presidents of Students Unions in the United Kingdom, we wish to clarify the following points:

The International Campaign against Coca-Cola has allowed our trade union, SINALTRAINAL, to continue to exist; we put enormous value on the solidarity and support that men and women around the world have given us, thus legitimizing the struggles not only of Colombian Coca-Cola workers, but of the entire Colombian people.

The International Campaign, of which the boycott is a part, is not exclusively a SINALTRAINAL initiative, but is one of the conclusions agreed by the “Hector Daniel Useche Beron” Popular Public Hearings, which took place during 3 sessions in Atlanta, Brussels and Bogota in 2002 to judge the criminal policies of Coca-Cola in Colombia.

The International Campaign was launched on 22 July 2003, due to Coca-Cola’s refusal to enter into dialogue and to respond to the proposals of integral reparation for the victims, that was handed to Coca-Cola in the month of January 2002 by representatives of the international community that participated in the Public Hearing.

SINALTRAINAL has always been open to dialogue and the search for solutions to conflicts, whenever these solutions may contribute to the benefit of our members and the Colombian people. On the contrary, we are not open to proposals that seek to damage our sovereignty and that of the poor of Colombia.

The International Campaign is the response of social organizations, politicians and human rights defenders from all over the globe, to the refusal by the multinational to enter an open and constructive dialogue that leads to reparation for the victims, a change in policy, and a condemnation of those responsible for the terror and crimes that sought to finish off SINALTRAINAL completely. Instead Coca-Cola have responded with immoral tricks such as the "Colombia Foundation for Education and Opportunity” and with the imposition of new “Global Human Rights Policies”, while in Colombia, their policy is ever more aggressive in order to destroy the Campaign and SINALTRAINAL at the same time.

The search for truth, justice and reparation has led us to prosecute Coca-Cola in the US Federal Court, for the crimes committed against the people of Colombia; the court case is advancing in a very significant manner, a fact that has allowed us to generate huge support among many US universities who have now made the decision to stop selling Coca-Cola products. Yet it is not only universities that have supported our struggle: New York Council, trade unions, black communities, religious communities and many other organizations dedicated to the defense of life and the dignity of the peoples have also rallied to our cause.

In April 2006, the Colombian chapter of the Permanent Tribunal of the People will judge multinationals operating in the Colombian food sector who have committed or benefited from crimes against the civilian population. Coca-Cola will be one of those companies judged. On 29 October 2005, in Berne Switzerland, Nestle’s operations in Colombia were judged and condemned. Next year, international public tribunals will also be heard in Vienna Austria against European multinationals; all part of the same process of resistance.

In Colombia, the trade unions SICO and SINALTRAINBEC do not support the campaign. Since their very inception, these trade unions have always been very close to the policies of their employer. It is worth remembering that they were even created by Coca-Cola in order to divide the workers and to weaken SINALTRAINAL. Sinaltrainbec was created from the bosses sector, a current that disagreed with the fusion of SINALTRAINAL and SINTRADINGASCOL (National Union of Fizzy Drinks Workers); SICO was created in Carepa (Uraba Antioquia), weeks after the annihilation of SINALTRAINAL in the area, following the imposition of Coca-Cola’s anti-union policies and paramilitary violence against our members.

Previously, we have made public appeals to Justice for Colombia and to the IUF, that they respect our initiatives and the memory of the victims. We have asked them, if they feel unable to support our campaign, not to condemn it or seek to undermine it. The IUF have in this sense, responded favorably. We would like to reaffirm our wishes to our other colleagues.

To those we ask not to drink Coca-Cola, we suggest as alternatives natural drinks, fresh fruit, to regain and strengthen the food security of the people. We have never suggested that people should consume the products of multinational companies such as Pepsi. We consider that Pepsi too, practices violations of people’s rights.

Next year, an Italian delegation composed of REBOC (Boycott Coca-Cola Network) social organizations and municipal administrations will come to Colombia in order to carry out an independent investigation into the allegations that form the basis of the international campaign. Similar initiatives are being organized in other countries.

Finally, we would like to invite NUSSL to come and visit us in Colombia, so that they can speak with the victims, with social organizations in this country that support the campaign, with members of parliament who are dedicated to the fight for truth, justice and reparation, so that they can talk with workers and their families or with whoever they want, so that you too will realize that our struggle is just, dignified and legitimate. Here in Colombia, we are waiting with open arms.

With love

Edgar Paez
National Executive
SINALTRAINAL, Colombia.