On January 23rd the Uruguayan branch of Coca Cola filmed a commercial for Sprite in the park in front of the Memorial to the Disappeared. In order to do so, they covered the Memorial with green carpets, thus "disappearing" the names of those already gone.
Project Disappeared strongly repudiates this action and asks all its supporters to write to the Coca Cola company expressing their disapproval. Below is the letter we sent.
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February 1st, 2010
Muhtar Kent
Chairman and CEO
The Coca-Cola Company
P.O. Box 1734
Atlanta, GA 30301
Dear Mr. Kent:
I am writing on behalf of Project Disappeared to express our deep concern about the grave disregard for the memory of the “disappeared” in Uruguay shown by the Uruguayan branch of Coca Cola. We have been informed that on January 23, 2010, Coca Cola Uruguay filmed a commercial for the Sprite brand in the Vaz Ferreira park, where the Memorial to the Disappeared is located. The company covered the memorial with a green carpet, thus “disappearing” once again the names of those who were already disappeared by the Uruguayan government.
This action is an insult, not only to those who were secretly abducted, tortured and killed by the military dictatorship - but to their families and friends, and those of us who have struggled for decades to maintain their memory.
I urge the Coca Cola Company apologize for this insensitive action, and commit to never again insulting the memory of the disappeared and other victims of human rights violations throughout the world.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Sincerely,
Margarita Lacabe
Secretary General
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Project Disappeared works to end forced disappearances worldwide, to bring the perpetrators to justice and to honor the memory of the victims.
Picture of the covered memorial
