Hello ECOFEMers!!
For those of you who have been following the genetic engineering
debate and the concerns regarding Monsanto, I thought this press
release might be useful.
All the best,
Stefanie Rixecker
ECOFEM Coordinator
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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From: Vandana Shiva <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"MONSANTO, QUIT INDIA" CAMPAIGN
UPDATE
12 November 1998
1. The "Monsanto Quit India" Campaign was launched on Quit India Day 9th
August 1998, the anniversary of the day when Gandhi told the British to
Quit India. 10,000 citizens from across India sent the Quit India message
to Monsanto Headquarters in India.
2. The "Monsanto Quit India" Campaign was launched in response to
a) the purchase of MAHYCO, the largest Indian seed company by Monsanto in
May 1998
b) the take over by Monsanto of a lab in India's premier research
institute, the
Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. (Ref: "Monsanto's Expanding
Empire",
Bija Newsletter, RFSTE, New Delhi, Double Issue No.21 & 22, 1998)
3. On 27th August 98, the Government announced the free import of soya bean
and on 6th October 98, the Women's Food Rights Campaign had a protest
against force feeding of Indians with genetically engineered soya.
4. On 16th November news broke of trials being carried out by Monsanto on
Bt-cotton without permission of regional governments and without consent of
local communities.
5. On 24th November, the locations of the trials at Maladahalli (Sindhanur
Taluk, Raichur) Ramkhar (Gagarilsommananahalli Taluk, Bellary) and Adur
(Hanagal Taluk, Kaveri) in the fields of Mr. Basappa J Hunsole, Mr. V.V.
Nanjundappa, Mr. Mahalingappa and Mr.Shankarikoppa were made public and the
Government of Karnataka announced the establishment of a committee to
investigate the trials.
6. On 28th November, an alliance of farmers organisations including the
BJP's Kisan Morcha and the KRRS burnt the crop of Monsanto's Bt-cotton
trials in the field owned by Mr. Basappa Hunsole in village Maladahalli,
Sindhanur taluk in Raichur.
7. A national network of groups working on agriculture and environment have
intensified the campaign against Monsanto and against genetic engineering
in agriculture and are calling on the Ministry of Environment and Ministry
of Science and Technology to
a) ban on all genetic engineering trials
b) change the Biosafety regulations to ensure people's
participation in
decisions about genetic engineering including public hearings in
Gram Sabhas before trials
c) five year moratorium on all commercial releases and total ban on
import of genetic engineered foods and crops including a
ban on
imports of genetically
engineered soya from U.S. allowed through free imports announced
on 27 August 1998.
For further information, please contact:
National Campaign Secretariat:
Research Foundation for Science,Technology and Ecology
A-60, Hauz Khas
New Delhi - 110 016
Tel: 6968077 & 6853772
Fax: 6856795
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Dr. Stefanie S. Rixecker
Division of Environmental Management & Design
Lincoln University, Canterbury
PO Box 84
Aotearoa New Zealand
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Fax: 64-03-325-3841
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