>From: "Mexico Solidarity Network" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Stop Biopiracy in Mexico >Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2000 11:34:34 -0500 > >This message forwarded as a service of the Mexico Solidarity Network >Tel: 773-583-7728 >email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >"Stop Biopiracy in Mexico!" >Indigenous Peoples' Organizations from Chiapas Demand Immediate Moratorium >Mexican Government Says No to Bioprospecting Permits > >Over one year ago, eleven indigenous peoples' organizations under the >umbrella of the Council of Traditional Indigenous Doctors and Midwives from >Chiapas (Consejo de Medicos y Parteras Indigenas Tradicionales de Chiapas) >demanded the suspension of the International Collaborative Biodiversity >Group-Maya (ICBG-Maya) - a US government-funded project aimed at the >bioprospecting of their medicinal plants and traditional knowledge. After >one year of fruitless talks with the ICBG-Maya and Mexican authorities, the >Council held a press conference on September 12, 2000 to again demand the >termination of the project. > >The Council believes that indigenous people have been manipulated both by >the Mexican authorities and the ICBG-Maya project leaders - the University >of Georgia and ECOSUR in Chiapas. Along with the suspension of this >particular project, the Council is demanding an immediate moratorium on ALL >bioprospecting projects in Mexico. The moratorium should only be lifted >once the indigenous people and Mexican society have had the opportunity to >evaluate the impact of these projects, and once appropriate laws protecting >genetic resources and traditional knowledge are in place. The Council's >demands were supported by over 100 indigenous peoples', farmers' and other >civil society organizations attending the seminar "Bioprospecting or >Biopiracy?" held 14-15 September in Mexico City. > >In late September the Council learned that the Mexican Government has >denied the ICBG-Maya permission to conduct bio-assays (that is, analysis of >active compounds) on plants collected in Chiapas. For RAFI, the clear >opposition of local indigenous groups to this project is ample reason for >the research team to withdraw from the state of Chiapas. Now that the >Mexican government has denied the ICBG permission to conduct bio-assays, >the ICBG has even more reason to terminate the project. When will ICBG go >home? > >After two years of intense local opposition, the ICBG Maya has failed to >win the confidence of local indigenous groups or regulatory approval from >the Mexican government. There is no consensus among the peoples of Chiapas >that the Project should proceed. The ICBG-Maya, including the University of >Georgia, ECOSUR and Molecular Nature should give immediate attention to an >exit strategy and termination of the Project. > > >* * * > > >For additional background information on the Chiapas "Bioprospecting" ICBG >Project, please see the following documents on RAFI's web site: >http://www.rafi.org > >"Biopiracy Project in Chiapas, Mexico Denounced by Mayan Indigenous >Groups," 1 December 1999. > >"Messages from the Chiapas 'Bioprospecting' Dispute," 22 December 1999. > >"Biopiracy - RAFI's Sixth Annual Update," RAFI Communique, May/June, 2000. > >For additional information contact: > >Silvia Ribeiro, [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Julie Delahanty, [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Pat Mooney, [EMAIL PROTECTED]