>Date: Wed, 25 Nov 1998 13:01:29 -0500 >From: Food Share <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.04 [en] (Win95; I) >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Monsanto under siege in India > > **please distribute as widely as possible** > >Dear friends, > >On Monday the 16th the public was informed by Indian newspapers that >Monsanto (well known in India for the Terminator Technology) has been >conducting 40 field trials with genetically manipulated cotton across >five >Indian states for the last three months. Monsanto is testing a hybrid >cotton seed that has been genetically engineered to produce the Bacillus > >thuringiensis (Bt) enzyme. The permission granted by the federal >government >in Delhi pertains the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andrah Pradesh, >Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Now that peoples' movements are > >starting to mobilise on this matter, the same central government that >granted the permission is inviting Monsanto to leave the country. > >Monsanto has formed a joint venture with Mahyco (a 30 years old seed >company) to carry out these field trails. According to the media, >Monsanto >now owns 26 percent of Mahyco. > >In the rest of the message I include some excerpts of the newspaper >coverage of this affaire. We will keep you informed of the developments >in >this part of the world, which will most probably include a number of >non-violent direct actions to burn down the genetically modified crops >and >kick Monsanto physically out of the country. We encourage you to do >similar >actions all over the world - maybe we can make Monsanto's shareholders >feel >our pressure reflected on the value of their stocks. > >Friendly greetings, > >Prof. Nanjundaswamy >President, Karnataka State Farmers Association >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >'Curiously though agriculture is a state subject, Karnataka Government >seems unaware of the trials going on in the State. Agriculture Minister >C. >Byre Gowda admitted that he had been informend of the on-going trials >but >was unaware of where they were being undertaken - in Karnataka or in >Maharashtra.' (The Indian Express, Bangalore edition, cover page, 16th >November) > >The trials started three months ago although the 'Ministry of Science >and >Technology has admitted that it does not have the requisite regulatoy >regimen to assess the risk of dealing with such transgenic material for >which biosafty guidelines have only now been issued.' (The Indian >Express, >Bangalore edition, cover page, 18th November). In that sense, the >University of Agriculture Science (UAS) Bangalore warned that 'The >genetic >modification involved in geneticlly engineered hybrid seeds is a >concealed >one that cannot be ascertaiened with existing regulations of the seed >act >and quarantine.' (ibid.) B.R. Hedge, Director of Research at UAS, >affirmed >that 'The Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) was only now >starting to look at ways which regulatory mechnisms should be put in >place >to check the clandestine import of such genetic material. Nevertheless, >for >the moment we have nothing ready' (The Indian Express, Bangalore >edition, >page 9, 18th November) > >The KRRS has issued a deadline to the State Government and Monsanto to >disclose the places where the trials are being conducted and the exact >description of the seeds that are being tested. '"Monsanto should reveal > >immediately where the trials are being conducted" failing which "direct >action would follow on the company's office in Malleswaram" he [Prof. >Nanjundaswamy] threatened. "The government can foist 100 cases of >attempt >to murder [against us], but we will throw it [Monsanto] out... first >from >Karnataka, next from Maharashtra" ... The former professor of law >wondered >how the State's Agriculture Minister could be unaware of the trials. >"The >Government cannot continue for three minutes" considering its >irresponsible >behaviour, he said'. (The Indian Express, Bangalore edition, page 4, >20th >November) >'Monsanto will have to leave the country within a week. Otherwise we >will >be forced to throw them out. We have given a day's ultimatum to the >company >to furnish details about the seed trials undertaken in the state and the > >country.' (Prof. Nanjundasway in The Times of India, Bangalore edition, >page 5 20th November). > >Although the field trials are testing BT cotton, the Indian press and >politiciancs seem to be rather confused and are mixing up this issue >with >the terminator technology, which has been used by opponents of Monsanto >as >an example of the destructive potential of this corporation. However, >this >confusion is making it easier for Monsanto to reject any accusation by >denying the use of this technology. Here are some statements about this >issue taken from the last days press. > >'Second and Third World markets are the main targets for the terminator >seed.' >William Phelps, Spokesman, Department of Agriculture, USA (quoted in The > >Indian Express, Bangalore edition, cover page, 18 November) > >'It is not merly the economic factors that threaten the poor farmers of >the >world, but it is nature of the Terminator gene itself, since the pollen >from the crops carrying the Terminator will infect the fields of farmers > >who either reject, or cannot afford the technology.' >(UAS, quoted in The Indian Express, Bangalore edition, cover page, 18 >November) > >'This is a terminator of bio-diversity, terminator of food security. It >is >a damaging technology because pollination pollution can render all >indigenous varieties sterile. This gene will slowly remove all >characteristics of germination from seeds. This means the harvest seeds >cannot be used for sowing during the next seseason. It will also force >seed >dependency on farmers who cannot afford to buy seeds. >Mono-culture was introduced in the country in 1965 with an aim to >provide >food security. When Green Revolution -Technology introduced mono-culture >it >was thought the method would be very effective. Terminator-gene is being > >dubbed as a second Green Revolution -Technology. This, too, will prove >ineffective. Genetically modified seeds are polluting the local >species. It will not >solve the food problem, in fact it will terminate food security along >with >bio-diversity.' >(Prof. Nanjundaswamy, quoted in The Times of India, Bangalore edition, >page >5, 20th November) > >The sincerity of Monsanto can be easily assessed by the usual roguish >reply >it gave to the critics: 'Monsanto will only bring to India, products and > >technologies which are consistent with what India wants and its laws >aprove.... Monsanto has not, and will not, bring to India any technology > >that will adversely affect the environment, current agricuture practices > >and force farmers to use any technology it provides.' (Monsanto >statement >quoted in Deccan Herald, Bangalore edition, page 9, 21th November) > >Yesterday the Union Minister for Rural Development, Babagouda Patil, >declared that 'Monsanto wil be asked to leave India' (headline, The >Times >of India, Bangalore edition, page 5, 23 November). > >'He said that he recieved Information that Monsanto is developing and >conducting field trials on the "terminator gene" seeds at a private farm >in >Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district. "I have informed the Prime Minister > >and Union Agriculture Minister", he said. He said he knew the >complications >arising out of the issue due to WTO stipulations. "But the government >will >not compromise on this issue as crores of farmers' lives will be in >danger. >The terminator gene seed will pose a serious threat to Indian >agriculture." >The Union cabinet is expected to deliberate on the issue besides >initiating >measures to close Monsanto's buisness operations in the country... He >said >that the Center would not hesitate to withdraw from WTO if its >provisions >threaten our very existence.' (The Times of India, Bangalore edition, >page >5 23rd November) > > > > > > Visit our Web Site for Free Copies of Our Community Quality of Life Reports! http://www.utoronto.ca/qol **************************************************** Canalising a river Grafting a fruit tree Educating a person Transforming a state These are instances of fruitful criticism And at the same time instances of art. -Bertolt Brecht **************************************************** Dennis Raphael, Ph.D. Associate Professor and Associate Director, Masters of Health Science Program in Health Promotion Department of Public Health Sciences Graduate Department of Community Health University of Toronto McMurrich Building, Room 101 Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5S 1A8 voice: (416) 978-7567 fax: (416) 978-2087 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
