October 2011 Action Item : ACT to end child slave labor in the production of chocolate and ENCOURAGE imprisoned Christian journalist, Li Ying.

Act!

Halloween is just around the corner, and candy sales will soar--much of it the chocolately treats Americans love. However, most of the chocolate we consume comes from the hands of children working as slaves. This October, join the CAN campaign, "Chocolate That Is NOT a Treat." Become informed and consider foregoing all chocolate that is not fair trade--don't be a part of the problem! According to The Foreign Policy in Focus, all the major chocolate companies know this but have done little to nothing about it. Actions suggested 1) only buy fair trade chocolate, 2) contact the chocolate companies and make them change, and 3) tell others including your congressman. Let's make a difference and not accept this human rights violation!

Two informative articles to read and share:

Easy action—click and sign! www.10campaign.com

Even better, write to the major cocoa producers, demanding they make good on their word and put an end to child slavery as part of the production of chocolate. Write to:

John P. Bilbrey, President and CEO
Hershey Corporate Headquarters
100 Crystal A Drive
Hershey, Pennsylvania 17033

Paul S. Michaels, President and CEO
Mars, Incorporated
6885 Elm Street
McLean, VA 22101

Brad Alford, Chairman and CEO
Nestlé USA, Inc.
800 North Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203

Salutations: Dear Mr. Bilbrey, Michaels, or Alford:

Suggested points:

  • Express outrage that ten years after the Harkin-Engel Protocol, when the cocoa industry promised to address and eliminate the use of child and slave labor in the production of chocolate, almost nothing has been done to address this grievous human rights abuse
  • Applaud recent efforts, such as the recent agreement between Mars, Inc. and Fair Trade International, Ltd., which will result in some of Mars candy being produced with fair trade chocolate, but indicate that significantly more must be done and at a rapid pace.
  • State that as a consumer, you are committed to purchase only fair trade chocolate products and to continue to spread the word about the cocoa industry's complicity in modern-day slavery
  • Call for immediate and extensive action to be taken by the cocoa industry to quickly and efficiently eliminate child and slave labor from its production chain

Encourage!

Send a brief note to Li Ying, a Christian journalist, who is currently serving a 15-year sentence for publishing a house church magazine. Originally sentenced to death, she has been jailed in Wuhan Female Prison since April 2001. Let her know today that she is not forgotten, that many know of her situation and are praying and advocating for her. Remember, please do not mention any foreign organizations in your letter, as that is one thing that could be detrimental to her receiving mail. And if you would like to add a note and/or some scripture in Chinese, visit www.prisoneralert.com, where you may read Li Ying's profile, and use the write an encouraging letter function to produce a note in her own language. Send note to:

Ms Li Ying No. 2 Division, Section 3
Wuhan Female Prison
Wuhan City
Hubei Province 430032
People's Republic of China