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[SANET-MG] Joint International GM Opposition Day
nnouncing: April 8th, Joint International GM Opposition Day
http://www.indybay.org/news/2006/02/1802198.php
*5 April : March for GMO-free regionsduring the GMO European Conference
held in Vienna, Austria.
*6 April :National Call-In Day to the US Congress, in support of the
"Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act,USA
*8 April : JIGMOD, Earth
8th of April 2006: Joint International GM Opposition Day (JIGMOD)
The World Trade Organization (WTO) -- whose Deputy Director General
previously served as the European general counsel for the agrochemical
and biotechnology giant Monsanto -- has ruled in favor of genetically
modified (GM) crop producers against the European Union (EU).
International critics of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are
confident that European citizens remain opposed, and that GMOs will not
significantly break into the European market. However, they are
concerned that it will open the way to the development of GM crops, as
well as the contamination of both GM-free fields and food chains.
Furthermore, the WTO is thus dictating a message to the world that it is
useless to attempt to regulate GMOs.
In this context, 100 international organizations from more than 40
countries[i] are now announcing April 8, 2006 as a Joint International
GM Opposition Day. The day will feature major public events in several
of these countries to demonstrate continuing global opposition to
genetically modified foods and crops.
“This international day follows the WTO decision to restrain European
governments from protecting their farmers and other citizens from the
threat of GMOs," explained one of the US promoters of the event. We will
join with our allies around the world to condemn the WTO decision, and
to denounce the US administration's attempts to impose this hazardous
technology on us all.”
On the 8th of April, "Information Sites" distributed worldwide will
allow the general public to learn more about the social, scientific,
environmental and health dimensions of the GMO file. Some of these sites
will be linked through a video-conference that will provide a forum for
GM opponents to dialog across the world, including the historical
figures of the movement. A letter, written by a team of scientists and
others, which emphasizes health risksand problems of genetically
engineered organisms, will notably be presented during this conference.A
public demonstration will occur in Chicago, USA, where the biotechnology
industry is holding its annual convention. A promotion of "peasant
seeds," as the pre-existing alternative to GM crops, will be launched in
several countries. Among other joint initiatives, a NO-to-GMO Mosaic
composed of pieces originating from many regions of the world will be
exhibited in Turkey. Concerts, movies, discovery walks and peasant
markets will accompany exhibitions by sponsoring organizations.
"We are concerned about our quality of life, and want to prevent our
farms and our dinner plates from being touched by GMOs," said Dominique
BEroule, of the JIGMOD Coordinating Team in France. For ten years,
organizations worldwide have followed parallel and complementary tracks
toward this goal. Now, whereas the WTO intervenes to extend the GMO
market and suppress protective regulations, environmentalists, farmers,
and consumer organizations are joining in to inform the public of the
increasing evidence against genetically modified crops and food, on the
occasion of a worldwide appointment."
"The more people learn about the hazards of GMOs for our health, the
environment, and traditional agricultural communities, the more they
oppose this technology," explained Brian Tokar, of the US-based
Institute for Social Ecology. "And in many countries, this concern has
been translated into sound public policies to limit the importation and
growing of GM products. That is why corporations work to suppress public
awareness in the US, and why our government has pressed theWTO to
overrule sound protective actions in other countries."
"The countries that have adopted GM are facing higher costs and market
rejection which is why they want to force the GM problem on other
competitive countries. Farmers want to market what consumers want, and
it is not GM. Contamination is not controllable and economic loss will
occur but it should be the GM companies, not the non-GM farmers, that
should be forced to accept the liability for the losses GM crops will
cause." said Julie Newman, of the Australian Network of Concerned Farmers.
According to Ignacio Chapela, microbial ecologist and Professor at the
University of California (Berkeley), "We want to make sure that GMOs are
not released into the environment without public transparency and
informed consent, but to recognize that some manipulations of organisms
might be useful, provided there is a high degree of public
responsibility and technical capacity to ensure that they do not come
out of a laboratory."
Dr Arpad Pusztai, who pioneered research on the nutritional and
developmental impacts of transgenic food, declares:"Will the biotech
company executives pushing GM crops on an unwilling public be able to
face their own children and grandchildren when the health damage and
environmental dangers of GM crops will come true?"
Events during the period leading up to the 8th of April include:
o 24 February :Conference of the European GM-free regions, 24 February,
in Krakow, Poland.
o 3 March :National demonstrations in several towns of Germany
o 5 April : March for GMO-free regionsduring the GMO European Conference
held in Vienna, Austria.
o 6 April :National Call-In Day to the US Congress, in support of the
"Genetically Engineered Food Right to Know Act,USA
o 8 April : JIGMOD, Earth
The full program and complete list of sponsors will be updated until the
8th of April on the dedicated website:http://altercampagne.free.fr/
altercampagne.free.fr/
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