2008 Woodie Awards
Corporations Create Crisis in Third World
Jonathan Ciccone
Issue date: 12/7/06 Section: Campus Briefs
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They traveled almost 8,000 miles combined to be here and had to use translators to communicate, but when two South American farmers spoke to a group of William Paterson University students Nov. 30 about problems they face in their countries, the distance didn't seem that far at all.
Calling themselves "campesinos," which means "simple farmers" in Spanish, Ciro Eduardo Correa from Brazil and Ana Graciela Cantillo from Columbia told the crowd of about two dozen students stories of how large corporations are all but destroying what was once their livelihood.
The companies do this by forcing corporate controlled agriculture practices, such as limiting available seeds, on small towns. This causes displacement of thousands of farmers who know no other way to farm but their traditional way.
As a result, many cities in these countries must serve as less than ideal homes for the farmers. Because of this unplanned circumstance, Correa said many people are living with no electricity, and are too far from schools.
"The rich get richer and the poor get poorer," Cantillo added.
She explained that while Columbia is rich in natural resources, it is controlled by the wrong people.
"The resources are in the hands of big transnational corporations," she said.
Perhaps most disturbing though, was which corporations Cantillo named, and what steps she said are taken to make sure the farmer groups never grow too strong.
"Many campesinos have been assassinated by armed groups that are funded by the transnational corporations," she said.
The companies Cantillo said are doing the funding are some of the largest in the United States.
"Coca-Cola, Nestle," she named as examples. "They never get punished for these crimes."
William Kramer, a coordinator for the Agribusiness Research and Popular Education Project, said that Coca-Cola is reportedly involved with paramilitaries, and Nestle has reportedly been involved with massacres.
Both Correa and Cantillo said their countries are part of campaigns against transnational corporations like those, but that there is always more that can be done.
To that effect, Sheila Collins, graduate program director for the political science department at WPU said that university should consider no longer selling Coca-Cola products.
"It would send a message to stop the companies that destroy families," she said.
While it may be difficult for the average college student in the northeast United States to relate to the problems of farmers thousands of miles away, Correa said it is important that people take notice.
"The United States is going away from the reality of the global situation; it has been transformed into a consumer society and doesn't realize this is destroying parts of the world," he said. "It is important for young students to know something other than the North American perspective; that's why we came here.
Calling themselves "campesinos," which means "simple farmers" in Spanish, Ciro Eduardo Correa from Brazil and Ana Graciela Cantillo from Columbia told the crowd of about two dozen students stories of how large corporations are all but destroying what was once their livelihood.
The companies do this by forcing corporate controlled agriculture practices, such as limiting available seeds, on small towns. This causes displacement of thousands of farmers who know no other way to farm but their traditional way.
As a result, many cities in these countries must serve as less than ideal homes for the farmers. Because of this unplanned circumstance, Correa said many people are living with no electricity, and are too far from schools.
"The rich get richer and the poor get poorer," Cantillo added.
She explained that while Columbia is rich in natural resources, it is controlled by the wrong people.
"The resources are in the hands of big transnational corporations," she said.
Perhaps most disturbing though, was which corporations Cantillo named, and what steps she said are taken to make sure the farmer groups never grow too strong.
"Many campesinos have been assassinated by armed groups that are funded by the transnational corporations," she said.
The companies Cantillo said are doing the funding are some of the largest in the United States.
"Coca-Cola, Nestle," she named as examples. "They never get punished for these crimes."
William Kramer, a coordinator for the Agribusiness Research and Popular Education Project, said that Coca-Cola is reportedly involved with paramilitaries, and Nestle has reportedly been involved with massacres.
Both Correa and Cantillo said their countries are part of campaigns against transnational corporations like those, but that there is always more that can be done.
To that effect, Sheila Collins, graduate program director for the political science department at WPU said that university should consider no longer selling Coca-Cola products.
"It would send a message to stop the companies that destroy families," she said.
While it may be difficult for the average college student in the northeast United States to relate to the problems of farmers thousands of miles away, Correa said it is important that people take notice.
"The United States is going away from the reality of the global situation; it has been transformed into a consumer society and doesn't realize this is destroying parts of the world," he said. "It is important for young students to know something other than the North American perspective; that's why we came here.
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