Bananas, money, and Marxist rebels

Chiquita finding bittersweet for families of men killed in Colombia

Chiquita, which has admitted making payments to the rebels and was fined $25 million by the U.S. Justice Department, says it was victimized.

'Chiquita acquiesced to extortion payments to protect the lives of its employees,' company spokesman Ed Loyd said.

To some analysts, the issue highlights the difficulties of conducting business in war-torn areas. Marxist guerrillas who call themselves the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia, commonly known as FARC, declared war on the government in 1964. Chiquita had more than 200 banana farms in Colombia before selling them in 2004.

'It's really tough doing business in an environment that is lawless and the state is largely absent,' said Bruce Bagley, professor of international studies at the University of Miami.

For Julin, though, the issue is deeply personal. She had been married to Mark Rich for 3½ years when FARC rebels burst into their home in Pucuro, Panama, across the border from Colombia, on January 31, 1993. The rebels abducted Rich while his wife and two daughters -- ages 11 months and 2½ years -- watched in horror.

Her husband was killed three years later by the rebel organisation to which Chiquita paid money, ostensibly to protect their employees. Chiquita sold their banana farms in Colombia in 2004, but for a time up to 10% of their revenue was going to the terrorist group. They admitted providing $1.7 million to yet another group there as well. Now five widows of men killed by FARC are suing the company for damages.

Chiquita argues that it was trying to protect its employees in a lawless, war-torn area. But Gary M. Osen, an attorney for the families, said, 'There's no law that says you have to operate in areas where you have to pay terrorists. That's something they chose to do.' He has a very valid point. Big business' aim, of course, is to make money, but that doesn't abrogate their responsibility to conduct business in an ethical manner.

Now, of course, Chiquita bananas come from other areas. But for a time they were grown there and in a way, bathed in the blood of the rebels' victims--and FARC is responsible not for a handful of murders, but the murder of thousands in Colombia, and our money went to help fund that bloodshed. I think it is our responsibility as consumers to find out what the companies we patronise do in terms of human rights, environment, and other concerns such as this.

Here is a snippet of an interview done for '60 Minutes' from last year regarding Chiquita's payments:

No pun intended, but you must admit, it is food for thought, and a serious matter that we should consider in our consumer choices.