"Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit chocolate."
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.
Nutritionists are finding out just how HEALTHY chocolate is for us (providing we don't indulge TOO much in the sugar and calories that go along with it).
Now it's DOUBLY healthy to eat chocolate--get all those antioxidants and fight islamism at the same time!!!!
Happy Vidovdan tomorrow to all Serbian Freepers and lurkers!
My sentiments exactly. I am going to buy some next time I'm in the store.
Mmmm-mmmm. Their minty bar is yum-yummy. We just had some Cadbury's chocolates last week, before I heard of the boycott. I think it's time I buy some more...
I think I'll buy some of their stock. Looks like it's about to have an uptick!
Thanks so much for posting this list... I love the idea of an anti-boicott!!!!!
Lovely, did you do it? I would like to put it on my FR webpage, permission requested.
Thanks so much for posting this list, I was confused about the Dr. Pepper.
Please tell me where I can find Cadbury. I am a recovering Chocaholic!
You know they have Cadbury chocolade in the grocery stores here. There's no need to order them online. Just run down to your store and buy you some.
You know they have Cadbury chocolade in the grocery stores here. There's no need to order them online. Just run down to your store and buy you some.
"Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit chocolate."
I've never seen Cadbury Heroes on sale here in Canada but I do watch Coronation Street a British 'folk-opera'. While the British commercials are taken out and replaced by local ones, occassionally I miss an episode and to catch up go to a British website that features screen captures from the show. They always start out with a 'brought to you by Cadbury's (insert product)'. It was there that I saw "Heroes"
This seemed an appropriate thread to post a pic of them. I did a google search and found the pic at, coincidently, indiawithlove.com
So the short answer is that, no, it's not mine but a google image search comes up with some 'borrowable' hits.
funny you can't boycotts the Muslims they dont make shit,besides misery and sorrow
I didn't like to hear a Texas original was sold to the Brits but now I feel better. Anyway I know Schwepps/Cadbury have a corporate office here in Plano so at least they employ locals.
What a great idea.
In the US, Hershey's actually makes the Cadbury bars in their own factories, to Cadbury specs. They're good, but the British bars are far superior. Especially the giant 8"x22" multi-kilo bars :D
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