Fighting to be free from GMOs
SCIENTISTS, leaders of farming groups, non-governmental organisations and communities have been urged to work hard and rigorously to assert their rights for a world free of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Sis Susan Bolanio of the Social Action Centre in Mindanao, Philippines, said people empowerment was also important in resisting the commercialisation of genetically modified foods. “When the powerless exercise their rights, they become powerful and a force to be reckoned with as empowered people can make a difference,” she said at a forum held on the sideline of the COP-7.
She shared the experiences of communities and collective responses of churches, non-governmental organisations and farmer organisations against Bt corn field cultivation in Mindanao.
“We have adopted a precautionary principle against GMOs. We have launched an educational awareness campaign and responded through policy lobbying, picketing, holding rallies and have undertaken legal action to resist Bt corn commercialisation,” she said.
Another panellist, Tejo Wahyu Jatmiko from Indonesia, said there was not enough research or awareness on GMO products.
“Indonesian commercialisation permits were issued without proper research on bio-safety and food safety. Even the media had limited exposure to the negative impact of GMOs,” he said. His organisation, Konpha-lindo, is advocating against Bt cotton field cultivation in Sulu Sulawesi.
He said the farmers uprooted 50 ha of cotton field in protest against the poor yield of Bt cotton – it only produced one tonne per ha compared to the three tonnes that was promised.
“We should try to refute technology against humanity, from the grassroots to the political level,” he said. He added that there were 28 GMO commodities that were in the process of being released for commercialisation
Brazilian panellist, Jose Maria Tardin, who spoke about GMO struggles in Parana, South Brazil, said it was important to recognise that transnational companies involved with GMOs have enormous clout.
“They have created an illegal network to distribute GMO seeds and have intimidated social movements against GMOs,” he said, adding that Brazil was the largest GMO producer in the world in 2003.
Consumer International assistant director, K. Rajeswari, said GMO products have violated consumer rights to product choice, safety and information.
“They were rushed into the market without proper awareness of their effects on humans and the environment. We are tampering with nature and the very genes that we’re made of, without knowing how they can mutate or affect us,” she said.
Rajeswari added that cross-breeding of genes may cause food products to contain ingredients that are forbidden in some religions.
“We won’t really know what we’re consuming as GMO products are still not labelled worldwide.” – By Florence A. Samy
RSS
