Opinion 4 'U' should cut Coke I 4 contracts immediately Sports 11 Softball goes 2-for-2, Monday, May 16, 2005 wins Big Ten tourney w :43 Summer Weekly One-hundred- ourteen ears o editorial reedom www.michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan m Vol. CXV, No. 126 @2005 The Michigan Daily Evidence supports Coca-Cola allegatios By Christopher Zbrozek For the Daily The University committee currently investigat ing alleged human rights abuses by the Coca-Cola Company has found credible evidence to suppor two allegations of human rights abuses, accord ing to University spokeswoman Julie Peterson. I does not appear, however, that the committee wil recommend the University cut its contract wit] Coca-Cola that expires in June. The University's Dispute Review Board, whic] began its investigation of Coca-Cola following a recommendation from University Purchasing Services on March 8, spent over four hours las Monday at a meeting held in the Fleming Admin istration Building deliberating final recommen dation regarding the University's contract with Coca-Cola. The meeting was closed to the public and the press. The DRB has found evidence to support tw of the four allegations of human rights and envi ronmental infractions it was charged with inves- tigating. Peterson wrote in an e-mail message that th DRB currently believes there is credible evidenc in support of allegations of pesticides in the prod uct in India and concerns over labor practices i Colombia. Although the DRB has not yet released its fina statement, it appears unlikely it will recommen that the University halt renewal c its contrac with Coca-Cola that expires in June. According to an e-mail sent to the Unitec Asian American Organizations mailing list th DRB decided to renew the contract with Coca Cola through September. After September, the contract would b renewed on a month-by-month basis, provide that Coca-Cola shows it has improved its huma rights record. According to the e-mail, the crite ria for evaluating Coca-Cola after September ar still under debate. DRB chair Frank Stafford acknowledged tha the ideas in the e-mail had been discussed at th meeting. He denied, however, that a final vote ha h been taken on the plan outlined in the email, not ing that it "may not be a workable mechanism." "I think the general direction here is clea We'll have to see changes in the way Coke run its operations," Stafford said. The DRB has nt yet finished determining the specific details o its recommendation concerning Coca-Cola. "We have to figure out a timeline on whic we can expect to see milestones of progress t see them continue as a vendor in good standing, Stafford said. Failure to show progress on Coca Cola's part could lead to the loss of its busines See COKE, Page 8 U { k _ ALEX DZIADOSZ/Daily A protester who did not want to be named chants as other protesters gather outside the Jewish Community Center to protest Israeli policy. See story on page 3. Celebration encounters protests - By Laura Van Hyfte n Daily News Editor 1 Pro-Palestinan protestors rallied last Sunday d outside Ann Arbor's Jewish Community Center t during an event commemorating May 14, 1948, the day Israel gained statehood and defended d itself against an attack by six Arab nations. e Members of the emerging Pro-Palestine orga- - nization, Defend Palestine, voiced their dissat- isfaction with Israel's alleged mistreatment of e Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. d Though the protest drew only about a dozen n participants, their presence evoked strong - reactions from members of the Jewish com- e munity. Thought the protest drew only about a dozen participants, their presence evoked t strong reactions from members of the Jewish e community. d Members of the Jewish community encoun- - tered signs with phrases like "Zionism is Rac- ism," as they entered the JCC parking lot. r. Monica Woll, the chair of the governing s board of the University's Hillel chapter, said I in response to a protestor's sign: "Zionism is f the belief that Jews have a right to a homeland - that is no way racist," Woll said. "To make a h blanket statement like that is absurd." o Jeff Levin, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Washtenaw County, stressed that - the JCC's event was not politically motivated. s "This isn't a political rally," Levin said. "In 8 the same way that Americans of all political stripes can celebrate the Fourth of July, Jews of all political stripes celebrate Israel's indepen- dence and her accomplishments of the last 50 years." Levin also said similar protests have been occurring in front of the Beth Israel Congrega- tion, located on Washtenaw Avenue, for the past 20 months. Toma Livshiz, a participant in the celebration and an incoming University freshman, said that though she supports everyone's right to voice his opinion, protests in front of the synagogue are unethical. It is disrespectful to protest an area of worship where people are trying to pray, she said. Etta King, a senior at Pioneer High School who plans to go to Israel next year, also said that she did not agree with the protestors' style of expressing their dissatisfaction. "Protestors come and protest every Saturday in front of the (Beth) synagogue," King said. "I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion - even if I don't agree with it. I just don't agree with how they go about it. It really bothers me when they come to my synagogue when I'm trying to pray." Present at the protest, Henry Herskovitz, the spokesman for Jewish Witnesses for Peace, explained why protesting has continued for the last 20 months outside the synagogue. "The flag of Israel hangs inside of the syna- gogue," Herskovitz said. In addition to being places of worship, synagogues are a place of political support for Israel, Herskovitz said. Woll said she did not agree with protests in front of the Beth synagogue. "There's a time and a place for these protes- tors," Woll said. "By hanging the flag in the synagogue, the synagogues are showing that they stand behind Israel, because Israel is the Jewish homeland." Laurel Federbush, a protester and University alumnus, said that the University does not fairly recognize the issue and avoids talking about anything that is critical of Israel. She spoke at a meeting of the Michigan Stu- dent Assembly held two months ago, when a proposal was brought before MSA to urge the University to form a committee to investigate the University's investments in military compa- nies that support the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Federbush was one of many activists who accused the Israeli government of human rights violations. Herskovitz echoed Federbush's sentiments, saying that students must realize the impor- tance of universally protecting human rights. Livshiz also recognized that students might have power to impact the University's dealing with Israel. While there are two sharply distinct views of the current situation, both sides agreed that peace was the ultimate goal for the region. "We hope that next year the Palestinians can celebrate their own independence," Levin said. Marcia Federbush, another protestor, also said she yearned for peace. "I don't see a reason why coexisting is impossible. We just need to get there," Feder- bush said.