Posted on 06/27/2004 7:12:59 AM PDT by veronica
British Muslims are calling for a boycott of chocolate giant Cadbury because of alleged links with the American firm accused of torturing prisoners in Iraq.
The UK Islamic Mission made the shock plea as the Bournville-based company has previously employed business advisers CACI Ltd.
The firm, which has offices in Coventry, is a subsidiary of US firm CACI International, which was hired by the CIA and coordinated interrogations at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad.
Iraqi inmates at the prison were stripped, chained, sexually humiliated and threat-enedwithelectrocution byUSguards.There have also been allegations of rape and murder.
Last night, Haq Ghani, of the UK Islamic Mission, called for a boycott of up to 40 UK firms, including Cadbury, who have links with CACI Ltd.
“It is very concerning that a notorious organisationsuchasCACI isinvolvedinany way with household names and companies whichtheMuslim communityuse,”hesaid.
“Many Muslims will boycott these organisations and take peaceful action to protest, such as picketing their headquarters.
“There should be a boycott of any organ-isation which works with a company involved in state terrorism.
“I would call on people who oppose the war on Iraq to boycott these firms.”
But a spokesman for Cadbury said the companywasnolonger usingtheservicesof CACILtd. Hesaid:“Ibelieve thatthefirmdid offer us some advice to assist the process of integrating our retail sales force with that of Trebor Bassett. But that was three or four years ago and we have not used their services since.”
Butthe SundayMercurydiscoveredmore recent links between Cadbury and the firm. On March 4, Rafik Chafekar, sales operations Manager at Cadbury, was a guest speaker at a CACI conference in Buckinghamshire.
The seminar was also attended by other company clients including Honda, Renault, Barclays, Scottish Widows, AXA Direct, Friends Provident, House of Fraser, The Woolwich, Unilever, Danone, WH Smith, theRoyalMail,Peugeot, 02andBritishGas.
Aclassactionlawsuit wasfiledearlierthis month in the US by the New York-based Centre for Constitutional Rights, who are accusing CACI International of conspiring to ‘direct and conduct a scheme of torture, rape, and in some instances, summarily execute plaintiffs’.
Approximately 1,000 Iraqis are involved in the action.
In an earlier interview, Dr Jack London, the president of CACI International, said he found ‘the erroneous information that has been circulating regarding CACI’s involvement in the Abu Ghraib prison deeply offensive’.
He claimed the company was “working diligently to uncover the truth and fully cooperating with all government investigationsaswellas conductingourowninternal analysis.”
He added: “The company has never, and never will, condone or tolerate illegal or inappropriate behaviour by any employee when conducting CACI business.”
In Britain, CACI Ltd mainly provides strategic business advice to its high-profile clients.
Renault has retained the services of CACI in the UK since last July. It refused to comment about the boycott calls last night.
Cadbury Raison and Almond bars, boy oh boy do I get a chronic craving for those once a month.
My favorite when I can't get to the local Chocolate Store.
Top it off with a huge glass of milk!
I have one in the fridge I think I will go break off a bite, makes the swollen mammery glands feel better.
That is NOT torture. Putting people into shredders is torture.
Nitwits.
You notice that too? I mean, Hershey's tastes more sugary and less chocolatey, compared to Cadbury's. I doubt it is a region-based thing, because Cadbury's made in India tastes the same as Cadbury's from Britain or even Australia(I have tried all three). However Cadbury's from SE Asia (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia) kind of taste similar to Hershey's candy. Maybe Hershey buys their cocoa from SE Asia.
Oh I will have to ask my grocery store to stock the Dark choc fruit and nut.
Dark Chocolate is my fave but the milk chocolat fruit and nut works too.
What they are complaining about torture sounds like what the Airports have become since 9/11
Do they make anything that could be boycotted? I don't know of anything.
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