The protest was covered by the AP and Reuters and the articles have already been posted on over 15 news sites, including Forbes, Crains Chicago Business, the Miami Herald and the Charlotte Observer. Tomorrow, the story will probably be printed in papers across the nation.

*** GET ON THE BUS! ***
Travel to Peoria on April 23 to protest Caterpillar at their corporate headquarters! Tickets are $5-$10 and scholarships are available.
For more information, visit www.stopcat.org

** ** ** ** ** ** **

April 14, 2004
Protesters disrupt Cat meeting
Shareholders reject resolution to stop selling to Israeli army

(AP) — As Caterpillar Inc. shareholders met in Chicago on Wednesday, a few dozen protesters gathered outside demanding the company stop selling bulldozers to Israel because that nation's military uses them to destroy Palestinian homes.

"They say they are a global citizen (but) I don't think a global citizen sells the tools that people use to destroy the lives of other human beings," said Cheryl Brodersen, whose niece, Rachel Corrie, was killed last year in the Gaza Strip when she was crushed by an Israeli bulldozer that protesters said was made by Caterpillar.

A spokesman for the Peoria-based company did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press for comment. But the company has repeatedly disputed protesters' argument that it should stop selling its equipment to Israel.

"We have neither the legal right nor the means to police individual use of that equipment," the company has said in a prepared statement when asked about the issue by The Associated Press.

Protesters, who said using bulldozers to destroy homes violates international law, said two groups of nuns who are Caterpillar stockholders introduced a resolution Wednesday calling for the company's board of directors to evaluate whether selling them to Israel violates the company's code of conduct.

The board of directors voted down the resolution, said Kevin Clark, a Stop CAT Coalition member who attended the meeting.

Clark also said he presented Caterpillar CEO Jim Owens with a letter asking that he meet later this month with activists, including Corrie's parents, to discuss their concerns about bulldozer sales to Israel.

"He said he'd consider it," Clark said.

Matt Gaines of the Stop CAT Coalition disputed Caterpillar's contention that it can't control how its equipment is used, saying the company has "full and advanced knowledge that the equipment is going to be used for illegal purposes." Further, he said that corporations such as Caterpillar, while they insist such issues are better left to government leaders, have an obligation to see that their products are not being used in an illegal or immoral manner.

"In South Africa, divestiture brought down apartheid," he said. "Businesses do have a role to play."

** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Caterpillar shareholders reject Israel resolution
Reuters, 04.14.04, 6:02 PM ET


CHICAGO, April 14 (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc. (nyse: CAT - news - people) shareholders on Wednesday defeated a proposal that would have asked the company to re-evaluate selling bulldozers to the Israeli army.

About half a dozen people spoke at the company's normally subdued annual meeting in support of the resolution, which was prompted by the use of Caterpillar machinery to raze Palestinian homes.

The company's board had opposed the measure, which received only 4 percent of the preliminary vote count.

"We have tremendous compassion for the families involved," said Jim Owens, who recently took over as Caterpillar's chairman and chief executive. "But with more than 2 million machines and engines out there, we don't have the practical ability or the legal right to determine how our products are used after they are sold."

Caterpillar's critics said the company could at least post a statement on its Web site deploring the use of its equipment for such purposes.

"CAT bulldozers are tools of war now and CAT is a military arms dealer," said Mary Ann McGivern from the Sisters of Loretto, noting the bulldozers are sold to the Israel Department of Defense.

Peoria, Illinois-based Caterpillar faced the criticism on the same day that U.S. President George W. Bush met Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Washington and implicitly recognized Israel's claim to some West Bank settlements. The announcement marked a shift in decades-old U.S. opposition to the settlements and was denounced by Palestinian leaders.The story was covered by the AP and Reuters and the articles have already been posted on over 15 news sites, including Frobes, Crains Chicago Business, the Miami Herald and the Charlotte Observer. Tomorrow, the story will probably be printed in papers across the nation.

*** GET ON THE BUS! ***
Travel to Peoria on April 23 to protest Caterpillar at their corporate headquarters! Tickets are $5-$10 and scholarships are avalable.
For more information, visit www.stopcat.org

** ** ** ** ** ** **

April 14, 2004
Protesters disrupt Cat meeting
Shareholders reject resolution to stop selling to Israeli army


(AP) — As Caterpillar Inc. shareholders met in Chicago on Wednesday, a few dozen protesters gathered outside demanding the company stop selling bulldozers to Israel because that nation's military uses them to destroy Palestinian homes.

"They say they are a global citizen (but) I don't think a global citizen sells the tools that people use to destroy the lives of other human beings," said Cheryl Brodersen, whose niece, Rachel Corrie, was killed last year in the Gaza Strip when she was crushed by an Israeli bulldozer that protesters said was made by Caterpillar.

A spokesman for the Peoria-based company did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press for comment. But the company has repeatedly disputed protesters' argument that it should stop selling its equipment to Israel.

"We have neither the legal right nor the means to police individual use of that equipment," the company has said in a prepared statement when asked about the issue by The Associated Press.

Protesters, who said using bulldozers to destroy homes violates international law, said two groups of nuns who are Caterpillar stockholders introduced a resolution Wednesday calling for the company's board of directors to evaluate whether selling them to Israel violates the company's code of conduct.

The board of directors voted down the resolution, said Kevin Clark, a Stop CAT Coalition member who attended the meeting.

Clark also said he presented Caterpillar CEO Jim Owens with a letter asking that he meet later this month with activists, including Corrie's parents, to discuss their concerns about bulldozer sales to Israel.

"He said he'd consider it," Clark said.

Matt Gaines of the Stop CAT Coalition disputed Caterpillar's contention that it can't control how its equipment is used, saying the company has "full and advanced knowledge that the equipment is going to be used for illegal purposes." Further, he said that corporations such as Caterpillar, while they insist such issues are better left to government leaders, have an obligation to see that their products are not being used in an illegal or immoral manner.

"In South Africa, divestiture brought down apartheid," he said. "Businesses do have a role to play."

** ** ** ** ** ** ** **


Caterpillar shareholders reject Israel resolution
Reuters, 04.14.04, 6:02 PM ET

CHICAGO, April 14 (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc. (nyse: CAT - news - people) shareholders on Wednesday defeated a proposal that would have asked the company to re-evaluate selling bulldozers to the Israeli army.

About half a dozen people spoke at the company's normally subdued annual meeting in support of the resolution, which was prompted by the use of Caterpillar machinery to raze Palestinian homes.

The company's board had opposed the measure, which received only 4 percent of the preliminary vote count.

"We have tremendous compassion for the families involved," said Jim Owens, who recently took over as Caterpillar's chairman and chief executive. "But with more than 2 million machines and engines out there, we don't have the practical ability or the legal right to determine how our products are used after they are sold."

Caterpillar's critics said the company could at least post a statement on its Web site deploring the use of its equipment for such purposes.

"CAT bulldozers are tools of war now and CAT is a military arms dealer," said Mary Ann McGivern from the Sisters of Loretto, noting the bulldozers are sold to the Israel Department of Defense.

Peoria, Illinois-based Caterpillar faced the criticism on the same day that U.S. President George W. Bush met Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Washington and implicitly recognized Israel's claim to some West Bank settlements. The announcement marked a shift in decades-old U.S. opposition to the settlements and was denounced by Palestinian leaders.