Sandeep Pandey, Asha co-founder, Ramon Magsaysay award winner and national convener of the National Alliance of People's Movements, was recently on a tour across the US visiting Asha and AID chapters and other organizations to talk about the ongoing campaign against Coca-cola and Pepsi in India (he is involved in the struggle at Mehdiganj, Uttar Pradesh). Summarized below is the question and answer session with Dr. Pandey, which followed his talk at AID Cincinnati on Oct 8, 2005:

Q: What are the top three reasons for taking a stance against Coke and Pepsi?
SP: Coke and Pepsi are causing damage to the environment and communities they operates in through excessive ground-water mining and exploitation. In addition, Coke through its clout and policies is a threat to human rights and the consumption of Coke constitutes a health hazard.

Q: Have you attempted a dialogue with the Coke management?
SP: We have made several attempts to explain the local communities' plight resulting from water mining by Coke; but they do not offer tangible solutions - they talk about funding water projects, but these token efforts are just for publicity.

Q: How is the popular support for this campaign?
SP: People are quite aware of the threats to themselves and to the environment posed by Coke and are whole heartedly behind the movement.

Q: What about the employment generated by the Coke plants?
SP: The visible employment that Coke generates is smaller than the large numbers of hidden and unorganized people it puts out of business, like the vendors of traditional Indian fruit drinks and hence the farmers supplying them.

Q: What is the ultimate aim of the campaign?
SP: To shut down the Coke bottling plants in India. And when I say Coke, I mean Coke and Pepsi, because they are both identical in their way of operating.

Q: Legally, is there a case against Coke?
SP: Coke is unfairly and unnecessarily exploiting the water resources of the community it is operating in. The lands are parched as there's no water for farming. The Coke plant in Plachimada had been ordered shut by the Kerala Courts.

Q: Would it be a more tangible aim to bring about legislation controlling the usage of water than to close Coke plants?
SP: Our campaign has decided that we have the latter aim. These MNCs have very strong lobbies and political clout; so they will not allow any legislation harmful to their interests to even be considered.

Q: As students and professionals in the US, how can we contribute?
SP: Coke is extremely conscious of its image and you all can use that. I urge you all to swear off Coke products and to spread the word about Coke's exploitation to all your friends. As students, you can call upon your universities for a boycott of Coke products and contracts. The University of Michigan has put Coke on probation for its activities. You all have the power to support our campaign in the villages and cities of India by taking these simple actions.

- Rishi Khar and Karthik Suryanarayanan, Cincinnati