For Immediate Release October 28, 1992 KFC JOINS DAISHOWA BOYCOTT DAISHOWA DROPPED FROM OVER 2600 STORES A major victory has been scored by Friends of the Lubicon (Toronto) as KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) confirmed today that they have joined the growing Lubicon Lake Indian Nation boycott of Daishowa paper products. The coup capped one month of talks between KFC and Friends of the Lubicon. In a letter to Friends of the Lubicon, KFC stated that "our intentions are to deplete our inventories of the Daishowa bag and discontinue its production." The correspondence was received shortly after Friends of the Lubicon warned KFC of their upcoming status as boycott targets. Friends of the Lubicon initiated a nationwide boycott of Daishowa Canada Co. Ltd. paper products 11 months ago. To date, 18 companies representing over 2600 retain outlets across Canada have stopped using Daishowa products. Boycott pressure on Daishowa prevented clearcut logging of unceded Lubicon Lake Indian Nation territory in northern Alberta last winter. Friends of the Lubicon are pleased that the buying power of the 840 KFC outlets are now off limits to Daishowa. However, in an October 28 letter to KFC, Friends of the Lubicon expressed disappointment that KFC's decision was based "only on financial considerations and fear of negative publicity while dismissing Daishowa's mammoth clearcut threat against the tiny band of Lubicon people." LUBICONS FACE IMPENDING CLEARCUTS...AGAIN Information from northern Alberta suggests that Daishowa plans to begin clearcutting unceded Lubicon territories as soon as the ground freezes this fall. Despite being forced by public pressure to abandon clearcut plans last winter, Daishowa has never made a clear, public and unequivocal commitment not to cut or to buy wood cut on unceded Lubicon territories until a land rights settlement is reached with both levels of government and a harvesting agreement is negotiated. The Lubicon society has been devastated by ongoing oil and gas exploration and Daishowa now presents the greatest single threat to their survival. The federal government is continuing to sabotage Lubicon affairs and has repeatedly proven unwilling to negotiate in good faith, therefore only massive public pressure can stop their impending genocide. For more information please contact: Stephen Kenda, Friends of the Lubicon (416) 763-7490 Fred Lennarson, Lubicon advisor (403-436-5652 Tim Hilliard, KFC (416) 674-0367 Tom Hamaoka, Daishowa Canada (604) 689-1919 * * * * * October 27, 1992, letter to Friends of the Lubicon (Toronto) from Tim Hilliard, Director, Marketing, KFC Dear Mr. Kenda: Re: KFC Packaging I am writing in response to your concerns regarding KFC Canada's use of packaging provided by Daishowa. KFC Canada currently purchases limited quantities of a "carry-all" bag from Daishowa, accounting for a fraction of one per cent of all packaging purchases. Plans have been under way for some time to replace this product with updated packaging, manufactured by another supplier, as part of a major package re-configuration and design project. Our intentions are to deplete current inventories of the Daishowa bag and discontinue it's production. It should be understood that this decision was made on it's own financial and operational merits, independent of the ongoing issues between the Lubicon people and Daishowa. I trust that this letter adequately communicates KFC Canada's intentions in this matter. Sincerely, Tim Hilliard * * * * * October 28, 1992, letter to KFC's Tim Hilliard from Stephen Kenda, Friends of the Lubicon (Toronto) Dear Mr. Hilliard, Thank you for your letter dated October 27, 1992. Friends of the Lubicon are pleased to note that KFC is depleting inventories of its Daishowa bag and discontinuing its production. As such, we consider KFC as having joined the Lubicon boycott of Daishowa. However, Friends of the Lubicon are disappointed that KFC has based its decision only on financial considerations and fear of negative publicity while dismissing Daishowa's mammoth clearcut threat against the tiny band of Lubicon people. An opportunity for KFC to demonstrate environmental and social responsibility has been missed. Please note that all former Daishowa users are periodically monitored for the duration of the boycott. Thank you for your time. Yours Truly, Stephen Kenda