It
suggested an alternative election with a table, ballot boxes, where
people do not choose between Bush or John Kerry, but can vote for the
end of the US occupation of Iraq, signing of Kyoto Protocol, for
nuclear disarmament and the end of US support of Israel.
The
move comes in response to a call voiced by the Belgian Boycott Bush
network in early September 2004 for intensifying world opposition
against US foreign policies.
Boycott
The
global campaign also urges boycotting a number of multinational
companies, which staunchly support the policies of the US Republican
Party.
“Today
more than ever, US multinationals seem to have a major impact on the
policy of the US administration. Even if Bush is not re-elected in
November 2004, US multinationals will continue ruling the world. For
this reason we are calling for an open ended boycott campaign which
will continue after the US presidential elections,” the statement
said.
It
named particular US multinationals, which are large donors to the
Republican Party, chiefly General Electric, Boeing, ExxonMobil/Esso,
Chevron Texaco, Coca-Cola, Walt Disney, McDonalds, Microsoft and
Pfizer.
“The
American public can register their opinions at the ballot box, but for
the rest of the world, all we can do is register our opinions via the
marketplace,” said Gerd Leipold, Greenpeace International Executive
Director.
“We
have the consumer power so we will vote with our wallet! This is an
interesting story for the media,” he added.
Former
UN Assistant Secretary General Robert Muller has further urged in a
note published by Mother Earth on its website all world countries to
boycott products of any country that possesses nuclear weapons.
“We
shall [...] come up with a strategy of boycotting countries having
nuclear weapons: not visiting them as tourists, not buying their
products or buying shares of their companies and many other things.
Boycotting is the only thing to which they will react.”
