[Gen-Streitfall] Protest on GM Contamination of Mexican Maize

[Sabine]

Quelle:  elan at csf.colorado.edu

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    Massive International Protest on GM Contamination of Mexican Maize

*Go here to send message of protest:*
http://www.etcgroup.org/action3.asp

An open letter to Mexican government authorities and intergovernmental 
bodies was sent November 20, 2003, signed by 302 organizations from 56 
countries, demanding actions to stop contamination of farmers' maize 
with DNA from genetically modified (GM) maize, and to prevent any 
further contamination in the world's centers of crop diversity and
origin.

*See the letter and signatories here:*
http://www.etcgroup.org/article.asp?newsid=417

"People all over the world are showing solidarity with the campesinos 
and indigenous people of Mexico," said Ana de Ita from CECCAM, "GM 
contamination is a potential threat to their land and livelihoods, but 
also to the heart of the Mexican culture and food systems. It must be 
stopped."

The open letter asks the Mexican government to maintain the moratorium 
against the planting of transgenic maize in Mexico, stop the importation

of transgenic or non-segregated maize - likely the main source of 
contamination in Mexico- and conduct urgent studies to determine the 
extent of the contamination. They also call upon the Mexican Congress to

reject the biosafety bill now under consideration because it is "deeply 
flawed."

"The issue goes far beyond Mexico because all centers of crop diversity 
could be endangered," said Silvia Ribeiro of ETC Group. "The 
international community's lack of action is apalling. The only 
beneficiaries are the multinational Gene Giants, who are hoping that 
governments will surrender to GM contamination. But surrender is not on 
our agenda."

Organizations from five continents around the world are also asking the 
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),the Convention on

Biological Diversity (CBD), the International Maize and Wheat 
Improvement Center (CIMMYT), the Consultative Group on International 
Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety 
to adopt these issues on their agendas and take actions to ensure the 
application of the precautionary principle to prevent further GM 
contamination of farmers' varieties. They also urge intergovernmental 
bodies to call for a global moratorium on the release of GMOs in crop 
centers of origin and diversity, and to insure that the biotechnology 
industry will not be allowed to make patent infrigement claims against 
farmers who are victims of GM contamination.


      Take Action!

Readers are invited to join the international protest by demanding 
action. Go here to send messages directly to the Mexican government and 
to international bodies:

http://www.etcgroup.org/action3.asp


      Related Publications:

Genetic Pollution in Mexico's Center of Maize Diversity
http://www.foodfirst.org/pubs/backgrdrs/2002/sp02v8n2.html
/ETC GROUP/

Joint Statement on the Mexican GM Maize Scandal
http://www.foodfirst.org/progs/global/ge/jointstatement2002.html

Food First Media Quik Stop: Articles on GM Contamination of Mexican
Maize http://www.foodfirst.org/media/mediasearch.php?words=mexico+maize


      For more information:

Hope Shand, ETC Group, hope at etcgroup.org 
<mip://03432610/hope@etcgroup.org>, +1-919-960 5223
Silvia Ribeiro, ETC Group, silvia at etcgroup.org 
<mip://03432610/silvia@etcgroup.org>
Ana de Ita, CECCAM, Centro de Estudios para el Cambio en el Campo
Mexicano, ceccam at laneta.apc.org <mip://03432610/ceccam@laneta.apc.org>

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