Eating bananas supports terrorism? - GoFuckYourself.com

Rictor · 05-11-2004, 04:19 PM

Chiquita paid alleged terror groups

Banana producer says Colombian unit made protection payments to groups U.S. regards as terrorists.
May 11, 2004: 7:09 AM EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government is investigating Chiquita Brands International Inc. for making "protection" payments to certain Colombian groups which the U.S. says are terrorist organizations, the company said Monday.

The announcement came on the same day the Cincinnati-based distributor of bananas and other fresh fruits reported first-quarter net income falling to $20 million, or 46 cents per share, from $25 million, or 62 cents, a year ago.

Chiquita Chief Executive Fernando Aguirre said in a conference call with analysts that the company is taking the investigation "very seriously, but believe it's manageable."

"I want to stress that this issue only involves our Colombia subsidiary," Aguirre said.

The Department of Justice recently indicated it will be evaluating the role and conduct of the company and some of its officers into a matter involving Chiquita's banana subsidiary in Colombia, Chiquita said.

In April 2003, the company's management and audit committee voluntarily disclosed to the Justice Department that its subsidiary had been forced to make "protection" payments, according to Chiquita.

The payments went to certain groups in Colombia that have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations under U.S. law, the company said.

Chiquita said the groups made threats against the company's workers and that it made the payments only to protect its employees.

Chiquita disclosed the matter to the Justice Department when the company learned that supporting such a federally labeled terrorist organization is a criminal act under a U.S. statute, the company said.

It is an open secret in Colombia that companies are occasionally forced to buy off illegal armed groups fighting in the country's four-decade-old war, but Chiquita's admission appeared unprecedented.

Chiquita ships bananas from plants in northern Colombia in areas with a heavy presence of the outlawed far-right United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, which is responsible for some of the worst human rights abuses in recent Colombian history.

Known by its Spanish initials AUC, it has killed thousands of people, mainly peasants, for suspected links to Marxist rebels over the past few years. It also traffics cocaine, according to U.S. officials.

Human rights groups say the AUC worked closely with the army in a push against rebels in the Uraba banana growing region in the 1990s. The government says any soldiers caught cooperating with the AUC will be prosecuted.

The AUC, now negotiating peace with the government, has targeted unions, which it often accuses of being guerrilla fronts.

A Colombian union is currently trying to sue Coca Cola (KO: Research, Estimates) for the murder of a worker by paramilitaries at a bottling plant in 1996. The soft-drink company says it had nothing to do with the incident.

Banana prices this year fell sharply from the year-earlier period, when flooding in Costa Rica and Panama limited supply.

Net sales for the quarter rose to $793 million from $471 million a year earlier. Atlanta AG, a German fresh produce distributor acquired at the end of March 2003, accounted for $283 million of the increase, Chiquita said.

The remainder resulted from favorable European exchange rates and increased sales of other fresh produce, the company said.

The company said it is cooperating with the Justice Department investigation.

Shares of Chiquita (CQB: Research, Estimates) fell 21 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $17.10 on Monday on the New York Stock Exchange before the company's late-day announcement.

http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/11/news...ex.htm?cnn=yes

AMADude · 05-11-2004, 04:20 PM

DR_PHIL · 05-11-2004, 04:38 PM

dole is the way to go!

pnor · 05-11-2004, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AMADude

FlyingIguana · 05-11-2004, 08:56 PM

wtf i love chaquita banana. so i am a terrorist supporter?

BradM · 05-11-2004, 08:57 PM

God damn

twistyneck · 05-11-2004, 09:07 PM

Newsflash: ALL big companies down there pay off someone and probably most little ones too. If not rebels, then government officials. They have to if they want to do business. If they hadn't paid, chances are that some banana pickers or whatever would have been killed.

KDizzla · 05-11-2004, 09:29 PM

I saw that on CNN earlier. Crazy!

FlyingIguana · 05-11-2004, 09:33 PM

fucking banana mafia?

Roger · 05-11-2004, 09:35 PM

They seem to have had little choice in the manner.

05-11-2004, 04:19 PM	#1
Rictor Old Timer Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 12,208	Eating bananas supports terrorism? Chiquita paid alleged terror groups Banana producer says Colombian unit made protection payments to groups U.S. regards as terrorists. May 11, 2004: 7:09 AM EDT NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government is investigating Chiquita Brands International Inc. for making "protection" payments to certain Colombian groups which the U.S. says are terrorist organizations, the company said Monday. The announcement came on the same day the Cincinnati-based distributor of bananas and other fresh fruits reported first-quarter net income falling to $20 million, or 46 cents per share, from $25 million, or 62 cents, a year ago. Chiquita Chief Executive Fernando Aguirre said in a conference call with analysts that the company is taking the investigation "very seriously, but believe it's manageable." "I want to stress that this issue only involves our Colombia subsidiary," Aguirre said. The Department of Justice recently indicated it will be evaluating the role and conduct of the company and some of its officers into a matter involving Chiquita's banana subsidiary in Colombia, Chiquita said. In April 2003, the company's management and audit committee voluntarily disclosed to the Justice Department that its subsidiary had been forced to make "protection" payments, according to Chiquita. The payments went to certain groups in Colombia that have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations under U.S. law, the company said. Chiquita said the groups made threats against the company's workers and that it made the payments only to protect its employees. Chiquita disclosed the matter to the Justice Department when the company learned that supporting such a federally labeled terrorist organization is a criminal act under a U.S. statute, the company said. It is an open secret in Colombia that companies are occasionally forced to buy off illegal armed groups fighting in the country's four-decade-old war, but Chiquita's admission appeared unprecedented. Chiquita ships bananas from plants in northern Colombia in areas with a heavy presence of the outlawed far-right United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, which is responsible for some of the worst human rights abuses in recent Colombian history. Known by its Spanish initials AUC, it has killed thousands of people, mainly peasants, for suspected links to Marxist rebels over the past few years. It also traffics cocaine, according to U.S. officials. Human rights groups say the AUC worked closely with the army in a push against rebels in the Uraba banana growing region in the 1990s. The government says any soldiers caught cooperating with the AUC will be prosecuted. The AUC, now negotiating peace with the government, has targeted unions, which it often accuses of being guerrilla fronts. A Colombian union is currently trying to sue Coca Cola (KO: Research, Estimates) for the murder of a worker by paramilitaries at a bottling plant in 1996. The soft-drink company says it had nothing to do with the incident. Banana prices this year fell sharply from the year-earlier period, when flooding in Costa Rica and Panama limited supply. Net sales for the quarter rose to $793 million from $471 million a year earlier. Atlanta AG, a German fresh produce distributor acquired at the end of March 2003, accounted for $283 million of the increase, Chiquita said. The remainder resulted from favorable European exchange rates and increased sales of other fresh produce, the company said. The company said it is cooperating with the Justice Department investigation. Shares of Chiquita (CQB: Research, Estimates) fell 21 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $17.10 on Monday on the New York Stock Exchange before the company's late-day announcement. http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/11/news...ex.htm?cnn=yes

05-11-2004, 04:20 PM	#2
AMADude Confirmed User Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 3,875	__________________ No sig, just here to fuck around.

05-11-2004, 09:29 PM	#8
KDizzla Confirmed User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: South Hampton Posts: 1,795	I saw that on CNN earlier. Crazy! __________________ www.ogrish.com

05-11-2004, 04:38 PM	#3
DR_PHIL Confirmed User Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Never visits the same thread twice Posts: 4,099	dole is the way to go!

05-11-2004, 08:56 PM	#5
FlyingIguana aspiring banker Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: toronto Posts: 10,870	wtf i love chaquita banana. so i am a terrorist supporter?

05-11-2004, 08:57 PM	#6
BradM Confirmed User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: 1123,6536,5231 Posts: 3,397	God damn

05-11-2004, 09:07 PM	#7
twistyneck So Fucking Banned Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hanging by the neck until dead. Posts: 4,660	Newsflash: ALL big companies down there pay off someone and probably most little ones too. If not rebels, then government officials. They have to if they want to do business. If they hadn't paid, chances are that some banana pickers or whatever would have been killed.

05-11-2004, 09:33 PM	#9
FlyingIguana aspiring banker Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: toronto Posts: 10,870	fucking banana mafia?

05-11-2004, 09:35 PM	#10
Roger Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: MetroCity Posts: 3,181	They seem to have had little choice in the manner.