As the 5th World Water Forum approaches in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 16-22, 2009, we, the undersigned civil society organizations actively engaged in the struggle for water justice throughout the world, are deeply concerned about the contradictory messages coming from the United Nations on the issue of water rights...[T]he UN has, in effect, taken measures to consolidate the rights of for-profit corporations to secure control over the world’s freshwater sources and supplies by harboring the CEO Water Mandate under the UN Global Compact…We, therefore, urge you, Mr. Secretary-General, to issue a statement prior to the World Water Forum…that reaffirms water as a human right and an ecological trust rather than a corporate right. [refers to Coca-Cola, Suez, Nestlé, Unilever, Levi-Strauss, Dow Chemical]