[Seattle-editorial] FEATURE PROPOSAL: Activists at Costco Shareholders' Meeting

[Susan]

feature image: 
http://seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21908&group=webcast
=================================================
Subtitle:  COSTCO VS. CULTURAL IDENTITY
Title: Mexico Controversy Dominates Costco Shareholders Meeting


Costco shareholders concerned about the company's destruction of historic 
murals and green space in Cuernavaca, Mexico, <a 
href="http://seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21908&group=webcast">brought 
the issue to management's attention</a> at the company's annual meeting today.
Joined by community leaders who traveled from Cuernavaca, shareholders 
pointed to rising anger across Mexico over the destruction of exceptional 
murals, architecturally important buildings, and scores of century-old 
trees at the site of a planned Costco store.

<p>Despite President and CEO Jim Sinegal's claims that Costco has preserved 
murals and trees, the Cuernavacans offer photographic evidence to the 
contrary. Photos show <a 
href="http://seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21919&group=webcast">trees 
and topsoil removed</a> from the site  turning an urban arboretum into a 
gaping hole in the ground  and <a href" 
http://seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21918&group=webcast">large 
murals damaged beyond repair</a> since Costco's purchase of the property.

<p>"Widespread media attention in Mexico, and the perception of Costco as 
an insensitive multinational, creates significant brand risk," said Bruce 
Herbert, President of Seattle-based Newground Investment Services. "After 
all, Mexico has the third largest number of Costco stores after the U.S. 
and Canada, and a population of 110 million."  b>Read the full story:</b> 
<a href=" 
http://seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21892&group=webcast">here</a> 
and <a 
href="http://www.seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21943&group=webcast">here</a> 


<p><b>Photographs:</b><br>
1. <a 
href="http://seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21918&group=webcast">Murals 
destroyed in Cuernevaca as a result of Costco construction</a><br>
2. <a 
href="http://seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21919&group=webcastwebcast">Old-growth 
forest cleared to make way for the store</a><br>
3. <a 
href="http://seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21917&group=webcast">Mexican 
activists carrying out a hunger strike to protest continued development</a><br>
4.  <a 
href="http://seattle.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=21908&group=webcast">Activists 
raising banner at Costco shareholders meeting (Bellevue, WA, 1/30/03) </a><br>

<p><a href="http://procasino.org/
">ProCasino.org</a> | <a 
href="http://www.mexicosolidarity.org/COSTCO_Cuernavaca.html"> Costco 
Boycott</a>  |<a 
href="http://www.corpwatch.org/action/PAA.jsp?articleid=3908">CorpWatch 
story</a>


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/seattle-editorial/attachments/20030201/e6454d62/attachment.htm