NLASF.org

KILLERCOKE CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES IN NORWICH AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA.

It’s been a busy couple of months in Norwich as the University of East Anglia’s Killer Coke Campaign joined forces with Norfolk Latin America Forum and the Jamnesty Junk Band to kick of a season of events raising awareness of the crimes of Coke both on campus and around the city of Norwich.

Activist, comedian and general inspiration Mark Thomas was in town, so what better time to launch the campaign. Mark’s show was great as he recalled his experiences uncovering Coca-Cola’s dubious ethical legacy from sponsoring Hitler Youth in Nazi Germany to water depletion in Inida to trade union busting and murder in Colombia. Norwich killerCoke collected lots of signatures from people pledging to boycott Coca-Cola until they clean up their act.

Future Radio’s Princess Jasmine invited KillerCoke onto the radio to discusssome of the issues surrounding the Campaign. Coca-Cola responded with their usual empty PR, denying any violations at their bottling plants in Colombia. The radio show was a great opportunity to reach out to people all over Norwich and inform them off the human rights abuses and environmental degradation resulting from Coca-Cola’s actions.

The local group followed up the Mark Thomas show in November with a screening of the Mark Thomas’ documentary about the highly unethical corporation with live music from Hazel Marsh and Chilean activist Mario Gomez. There was a prize draw with attendees winning KillerCoke t-shirts and DVDs.

On Thursday 24^th UEA played host to a Colombian student activist and political asylum seeker now resident in the U.K. The audience was told of the state collusion in paramilitary violence against students, trade unionists and members of the indigenous community.

Saturday 29^th November saw the campaign take to the streets with a mock funeral. Joined by the incredibly loud Jamnesty Junk Band and over 40 volunteers dressed in appropriate funeral attire, the Campaign marched through the streets spreading the word as Norwich citizens went about their early Christmas shopping.

In the New Year UEA KillerCoke will be pushing for a boycott of all Coca-Cola products on the UEA Campus and within Student’s Union stores to send a clear message to Coca-Cola that we will not tolerate human rights abuses in the name of profits. Norwich KillerCoke and Norfolk Latin America Forum will also be hosting a series of FairTrade Cola tastings throughout the city, so keep your eyes peeled for upcoming events!

For more information or to get involved email killercokeuea@gmail.com or visit www.NLASF.org.