Week Two: Sidamo Prayer Campaign Against Starbucks Marches On

Pressure on Starbucks to release grip on international trademarks increases...
Week Two: Sidamo Prayer Campaign Against Starbucks Marches On
photo by John Quilty
In 2004 as the Ethiopian government prepared to submit an application to the US Patent and Trademark Office to register coffee names it learned that Starbucks had already submitted an application to register "Shirkina Sun-Dried Sidamo" as a trademark for a limited edition coffee sold by Starbucks for 26 US dollars a pound. Now Starbucks is blocking Ethiopia from registering trademarks for ancient coffee names: Sidamo, Harar, and Yirgacheffe. Ownership of these trademarks could help farmers in a bottomed-out coffee market make enough money to feed their families. Right now coffee growers in Ethiopia, thought to be the birthplace of coffee, are experiencing hunger and malnutrition. Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, is a billionaire.

The Church of Stop Shopping, along with international partners like Oxfam America, asks Starbucks to reconsider its trademark procedure. The Church launched the Sidamo Prayer Campaign at The Astor Place Starbucks on February 4 in New York City. Reverend Billy was arrested and charged with criminal trespass.

Yesterday, at the behest of corporate officials, The New York Police Department arrested Reverend Billy again, this time before any of the congregation could enter the store. Starbucks can't allow the truth to even hover in its doorway.

After marrying a couple, Matthew Ott and Anna Oman, who declared their love in celebration of freedom and justice, Reverend Billy, The Stop Shopping Gospel Choir and about 40 members of the congregation attempted to approach the Astor Place Starbucks.  The NYPD informed the congregation that they were not welcome at the Starbucks, that Reverend Billy would be arrested without warning if he entered the Starbucks and that any member of the congregation who blocked pedestrian traffic could also be arrested.

In spite of the warning the group decided to cross the street and approach the entrance to the store. The door was blocked by two female Starbucks officials and six or seven police. Reverend Billy, along with several members of The Choir, laid hands on the exterior of the Starbucks, and then reached his hand toward the door. It was at this time that he was arrested.

The Choir, disallowed from entering the store, continued to sing from the doorway, passing out information to passersby and people entering the Starbucks, holding fact sheets up to the store window for people seated inside to read. A dozen police flanked them for approximately 30 minutes.

Reverend Billy is charged with “attempted criminal trespass” and is being held at One Police Plaza in downtown New York City.  The Church of Stop Shopping has just been informed that he will, in all likelihood, be held for a second night.

Ethiopia has requested Starbucks to accept a royalty-free license agreement covering Sidamo and also Harar and Yirgacheffe. Throughout 2005, Starbucks ignored requests by Ethiopia to cooperate in resolving this matter. Starbucks withdrew its own Sidamo trademark application only after the National Coffee Association USA filed against Ethiopia’s applications at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Dub Hay, Starbucks VP for coffee procurement is on the Executive Committee and a Board Director of the NCA.

For more information about Starbucks' campaign to impoverish coffee workers
 Shayna Harris, Coffee Program Organizer
Oxfam America
Tel +001 (617) 728-2443
sharris@oxfamamerica.org
226 Causeway Street, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02114-2206

Wondwossen Mezlekia
www.poorfarmer.blogspot.com