ALERT THURSDAY A.M.: Ghana to attack AIDS march

[Guest guest]

* Action alert * Please forward widely and forgive duplications*

Rapid response is essential. The global day of protest against Coca-cola is

TODAY, Thursday October 17. Coca-Cola and the Ghanaian

authorities must be made aware of the fact that activists are monitoring

this situation closely, and will not tolerate any further repression and

retaliation against GATAG.

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October 17, 2002

* Defend the human right to medicines and health care*

* Defend the right to freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention *

* Defend the right to protest *

* Stop police and corporate intimidation of AIDS and human rights activists

in Ghana *

Background

GATAG, the Ghanaian AIDS Treatment Access Group, has been planning since

September a peaceful protest in Accra, Ghana on October 17 2002. The protest

is part of an international campaign to force Coca-Cola to provide free HIV

treatment for all Coke workers in Africa--including all bottlers and

distributors--and for Coke workers' families. (For more information see

www.treat-your-workers.org)

Yesterday morning (Wednesday October 16, 2002) a GATAG activist involved in

planning the protest was detained for his planning activities by the police.

After several hours in detention and many phone calls from organizations and

individuals trying to intervene, the activist was released.

The police have refused to grant GATAG a march permit, and insist that if

GATAG doesn't cancel their march the activists will face the risk of

brutality and arrest. The police claim this will be their response because

the march has no permit.

The GATAG activist's detention happened after Coca-Cola officials

communicated with the police about the GATAG protest in Ghana; Coke,

however, denies any association with the activist's detention.

GATAG has requested that people support their efforts to move forward with

their action--as planned--despite police intimidation. Events highlighting

Coke's inadequate response to the AIDS epidemic will be happening

simultaneously around the world October 17.

Take Action:

Concerned organizations and individuals can help Ghanaian activists in their

effort to hold Coke accountable for their failings by contacting the

following people, _immediately_:

1. Contact Ghana's Superintendent of Police, Special Operations Assistant to

the Inspector General of Police:

Mr. Kwadwo Oware (+4 hours, Eastern Standard Time)

office: +233-21-773-900 ext 3044

mobile: +233-28-210-020

home telephone in Accra:

+233-21-406-697

mobile: +233-20-818-0363

Request that Kwadwo Oware immediately grant GATAG a permit for their protest

tomorrow, and publicly foreswear the use of violence, intimidation, force

and arrest against a protesters participating in a peaceful rally.

2. Contact Coca-Cola and demand that the corporation publicly condemn police

repression targeting AIDS activists in Ghana, and call on Coke to request

publicly that the Ghanaian police issue a protest permit to GATAG and assure

the protest will be peaceful and free from arrests, as GATAG has planned.

Unless Coca-Cola takes these actions, they will be incriminated by any

arrest or other act of violence against the AIDS activists protesting

tomorrow.

, Coca-Cola Africa Foundation

email: rlindsay@...

tel: +44 1753 626969

Daft, CEO, Coca-Cola

tel: (404) 676-4971

Office of the Executive Assistant to Doug Daft, Pope:

Messages should also be left: 1-800-438-2653

3. When you are done, contact Health GAP, to keep us up to date about your

actions.

Asia

tel: +1 267 475 2645

email: info@...

In solidarity,

Asia

--

Asia

ACT UP Philadelphia

Health GAP

asia@...

1 215 474 9329 office

1 267 475 2645 mobile

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