Steps Forward against Caterpillar

Thanks to all for making the local campaign against Caterpillar a success. The public protest held in front of Dean Machinery, a CAT dealership in Kansas City, on Wednesday, April 13 was one of 30 such demonstrations across the U.S. Around 25 people joined together during the lunch hour demonstration.

Special thanks to Molly, Andrea and Barbara for helping with the inspiration, signmaking and phone calling. Thanks also to the organizations that supported the campaign - Peaceworks; Amnesty International, local #115; American Friends Service Committee--Kansas City; Christian Peacemaker Team--Kansas City Regional Group; MAS Freedom Foundation--Kansas City Chapter; and CJME.

While we did not bring large numbers out to the demonstration we were successful in attracting four news organizations - Dos Mundos, Kansas City Jewish Chronicle, NBC ActionNews and Kansas City Star. You can read their reports of the events at the listed below.

On April 7 we met with an aide to U.S. Senator Kit Bond to press our demand that the U.S. halt bulldozer sales to Israel because of the human rights violations. Additionally, on April 15 we met with the president of Dean Machinery, Laurie Dean, to voice our concern that Caterpillar is violating its business ethics through the military sales program and urged her to work to halt the sales. Ms. Dean mentioned she would write to the CAT Corporation, relaying our grievances.

Most importantly, we took STEPS FORWARD to educate Kansas Citians about the horrific impact on the lives and livelihoods of Palestinians caused by widespread home demolitions and destruction of farmland and business property.
 
Report on Kansas City protest of Caterpillar bulldozer sales (Kansas City Star, 4/14/05)

Posted on Thu, Apr. 14, 2005

Don't sell to Israel, protesters say

By MARY SANCHEZ The Kansas City Star

More than 30 persons gathered Wednesday in Kansas City to protest Caterpillar Inc.'s sales to Israel of bulldozers used to demolish Palestinian homes.

The protest outside the Kansas City offices of Dean Machinery Co., a Caterpillar dealer, was part of a national demonstration.

“We just want shalom for everybody,” said Ann Suellentrop of Kansas City, Kan. “Safety, security for everyone.”

The company issued a statement that read, in part: “Caterpillar shares the world's concern over unrest in the Middle East. … However, more than two million Caterpillar machines and engines are at work in virtually every country. … We have neither the legal right nor the means to police individual use of that equipment.”

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/11387509.htm
 
NEWS REPORTS ON APRIL 13 ACTION (LOCAL AND NATIONAL REPORTS):
RESOURCES: