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Terima kasih dan salam
hira
NO TO PATENTING OF LIFE!
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' STATEMENT ON THE
TRADE-RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY RIGHTS (TRIPS) OF THE WTO AGREEMENT
W
E, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES from around the world, believe that nobody can own
what exists in nature except nature herself. A human being cannot own its
own mother. Humankind is part of Mother Nature, we have created nothing
and so we can in no way claim to be owners of what does not belong to us.
But time and again, western legal property regimes have been imposed on us,
contradicting our own cosmologies and values.
W
E VIEW with regret and anxiety how, Article 27.3b of the Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) Agreements will further denigrate and undermine our
rights to our cultural and intellectual heritage, our plant, animal, and
even human genetic resources and discriminate against our indigenous ways
of thinking and behaving. This Article makes an artificial distinction
between plants, animals, and micro-organisms and between "essentially
biological" and "microbiological processes" for making plants and animals.
As far as we are concerned all these are life forms and life creating
processes which are sacred and which should not become the subject of
proprietary ownership.
W
E KNOW that intellectual property rights as defined in the TRIPS Agreement
are monopoly rights given to individual or legal persons (e.g.
transnational corporations) who can prove that the inventions or
innovations they made are novel, involve an innovative step and are capable
of industrial application. The application of this form of property rights
over living things as if they are mechanical or industrial inventions is
inappropriate. Indigenous knowledge and cultural heritage are collectively
and accretionally evolved through generations. Thus, no single person can
claim invention or discovery of medicinal plants, seeds or other living
things.
T
he inherent conflict between these two knowledge systems and the manner in
which they are protected and used will cause further disintegration of our
communal values and practices. It can also lead to infighting between
indigenous communities over who has ownership over a particular knowledge
or innovation. Furthermore, it goes against the very essence of indigenous
spirituality which regards all creation as sacred.
W
E ARE AWARE of the various implications of the TRIPS Agreement on our
lives as indigenous peoples. It will lead to the appropriation of our
traditional medicinal plants and seeds and our indigenous knowledge on
health, agriculture and biodiversity conservation. It will undermine food
security, since the diversity and agricultural production on which our
communities depend would be eroded and would be controlled by individual,
private and foreign interests. In addition, the TRIPS Agreement will
substantially weaken our access to and control over genetic and biological
resources; plunder our resources and territories; and contribute to the
deterioration of our quality of life.
I
N THE REVIEW of the Article 27.3 (b) of the TRIPS Agreement, therefore, our
proposals are as follows;
T
his Article should be amended to categorically disallow the patenting of
life forms. Thus, the revised Article 27.3b should clearly prohibit the
patenting of plants and animals including all their parts, meaning, genes,
gene sequences, cells, proteins, seeds, etc. It should also prohibit the
patenting of natural processes involving the use of plants, animals and
other living organisms and their parts and processes used in producing
variations of plants, animals, and micro-organisms.
T
he provision for the protection of plant varieties by either a patent, a
sui generis system, or a combination of both should amended and elaborated
further: It should;
Disallow the use of patents to protect plant varieties.
Ensure that the sui generis system which may be created will protect the
knowledge and innovations and practices in farming, agriculture, health
and medical care, and conservation of biodiversity of indigenous peoples
and farmers.
Build upon the indigenous methods and customary laws protecting knowledge
and heritage and biological resources.
Ensure that the protection offered to the indigenous and traditional
innovation, knowledge, and practices are consistent with the Convention of
Biological Diversity (i.e. Articles 8j, 10c, 17.2, and 18.4) and the
International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources.
Allow for the right of indigenous peoples and farmers to continue their
traditional practices of saving, sharing, and exchanging seeds; and
harvesting, cultivating, and using medicinal plants;
Prevent the appropriation, theft, and piracy of indigenous seeds, medicinal
plants, and the knowledge around the use of these by researchers, academic
institutions, and corporations, etc.
Integrate the principle and practice of prior informed consent, which means
that the consent of indigenous peoples' as communities or as collectivities
should be obtained before any research or collection of plants will be
undertaken. The right of indigenous peoples to veto any bioprospecting
activity should be guaranteed. Mechanisms to enforce prior informed consent
should be installed.
Prevent the destruction and conversion of indigenous peoples' lands which
are rich in biodiversity through projects like mines, monocrop commercial
plantations, dams, etc. and recognize the rights of indigenous peoples to
these lands and territories.
W
e urge the WTO Member-States to put the amendment of the TRIPS
Agreement as a priority item in agenda of the forthcoming WTO Ministerial
Conference in Seattle. The implementation of the TRIPS Agreement in its
present form will have devastating social and environmental consequences
which will be irreversible. It is an imperative, therefore, that this
Agreement be amended to prohibit the patenting of lifeforms and the piracy
of indigenous peoples knowledge and resources.
W
e also call on all the WTO Member-States to work for the extension of the
deadline of the implementation of Article 27.3b of TRIPS to the year 2006,
five years after the completion of the review of this has been done.
F
inally, we reiterate our commitment to sustain our struggle to have our
rights to our intellectual and cultural heritage and our lands and
resources promoted and protected. We call on the WTO to become an
instrument in promoting our rights instead of enacting and imposing
Agreements which are violative or undermining our rights as distinct
peoples.
Signed at the United Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, on 25 July l999
SIGNATORIES:
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' ORGANIZATIONS , NGOS AND NETWORKS
NAME ORGANIZATION COUNTRY
l. Victoria Tauli Corpuz Tebtebba Foundation and Philippines
Asian Indigenous Women's Network
2. Aucan Huilcaman Consejo de Todas Las Tierras Chile
Mapuche
3. Johnson Ole Kaunga OSILIGI (Organisation for the Kenya
Survival of Il-Laikipiak Indigenous
Group Initiative)
4. Mililani Trask Na Koa Ikai Ka o Kalahui United States
of
Hawai'i America
5. Antonio Jacanimijoy COICA (Coordinadora de las Ecuador
Organizaciones Indigenas
De la Cuenca Amazonica)
6. Rodrigo de la Cruz COICA Ecuador
7. Fortunato Turpo Comision Juridica de los Pueblos Peru
De Integracion Tahuantinsuyana
(COJPITA)
8. Marcial Arias Associacion Napguana Panama
9. Tomas Condori CISA Bolivia
10. Nolasco Mamani CISA (Consejo Indio de Bolivia
Sud America)
11. Ramon Conde Taller de Historia Andina (THOA) Bolivia
12. Eugenio Poma World Council of Churches Bolivia
13. Cesar Sarasara Confederacion de Nacionalidades Peru
Amazonicos del Peru (CONAP
14. Eduardo Gaunilo Guatemala
15. Jose Canceunco Cocio Mexico
16. Ara Rusuramang Aboriginal Cultural Promotion Taiwan
Association
17. Nger-Nger Aboriginal Cultural Promotion Taiwan
Association
18. Ligerlale A-wu Aboriginal Cultural Promotion Taiwan
Association
18. Julius Madulu Hadza People Tanzania
19. Lourdes Maldonado Federacion Indigena y Campesina Ecuador
de Imbabura (FICI)
20. Simon Charles Hadza Peoples Tanzania
21. Alison Johnston Caldwell First Nation Canada
22.Lucy Mulenkei African Indigenous Womens Kenya
Network/Indigenous Information
Network
23. Tracey Whare Ngatira Marae/ Ngatira Lands
Aotearoa/New
Trust Zealand
24. Estebancio Castro Movimiento de la Juventud Panama
Kuna (MJK)
25. Marty Waters Native Council of Port Heiden USA
26. Loyal David Hauheng Bawm Indigenous Peoples' Bangladesh
Organization
27. Samiran Dewan Forum for Development in Bangladesh
Chittagong Hill Tracts
28. Khua Ukltan Chin Human Rights Organization Burma
29. Hkun Okker PaO Peoples Liberation Thailand
Organization
30. David Cung Bik Ling Chin Human Rights Organization Switzerland
31. Joan Carling Cordillera Peoples' Alliance (CPA) Philippines
32. Chito Balintay Pagkakaisa ng Aeta ng Pinatubo Philippines
33. Nepuni Piku Naga Peoples' Movement India
for Human Rights (NPMHR)
34. Clotilde Musabeyezu Association Pour La Promotion Rwanda
Des Batwa (APB) Femmes
Masnabamdi
35. Jose Morales Asociacion Tohil Morales Guatemala
de los Ninos Mayas de Guatemala
36. Kittisack Rattanakanjangrii IMPECT (Inter-Mountain Peoples Thailand
Education and Culture in Thailand
37. Maria Mangte Indian Confederation of India
Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICITP)
38. Derhagra Mochahary United Bodo Nationalists India
Liberation Front
39. Prithibi Majhi Adivasi Socio-Education and India
Cultural Association
40. Francoise Crozier Federation des Organisations French Guiana
Amerindiennes de Guyane Francaise
41.Alfred Ilenre International Alliance of Indigenous Nigeria
and Tribal Peoples of the
Tropical Forests/ Ethnic Minority
Rights Organization of Africa
42.Robi Lal Basumatra India
43. Jebra Ram Muchahary Tribal Welfare Society India
Assam Branch
44. Hubertus Samangun IAITPTP Indonesia
45. Parshu Ram Tamang Nepal Tamang Ghedung Nepal
46. Euclides Pereira COICA Brazil
47. Senchumo Lotha Naga Students Federation Nagaland,India
48. Ratnaker Bhengra JOHAR India
49. Lars Anders Baer Saami Council Sweden
50. Eduardo Solang Cordillera Peoples' Alliance Philippines
51. Oki Kano Ainu International Network Japan
52. Kiyomi Matsushima AIP in Ryukyus/Uchinan-Chu Japan
53. Hidenori Chinen AIP in Ryukyus Japan
54. Andrea Flores Tonconi Organicacion de Mujereres Bolivia
Aymaras del Kollasuyo (OMAK)
55. Tarcila Rivera Zea CHIRAPAQ Peru
56. Bineet Jaynel Mundu Chotanagpur Adivasi Seva India
Samiti (CASS/Munda)
57. Liton Bom Chin Human Rights Organization Burma
58. Juan Leon Defensoria Maya Guatemala
59. Rigoberto Juarez Mateo Coordinadora de Organizaciones Guatemala
del Pueblo Maya de Guatemala
60. Helena Begay Sovereign Dineh Nation of Cactus USA
Valley/Red Willow Springs Community
61. Neingulo Krome Naga Peoples' Movement for India
Human Rights (NPMHR)
62. Amina Zioual ANCAP-Tamaynut Morocco
63. Ahmed Arehmouch ANCAP-Tamaynut Morocco
64. Hjalmar Dahl Inuit Circumpolar Conference Greenland
65. Raja Devasish Roy Chakma Chief: TAUNGYA Bangladesh
66. Joji Carino Tebtebba Foundation United Kingdom
67. Jimid Mansayagan Lumad Mindanaw Peoples' Philippines
Federation
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE GROUPS
68. Jose Montes France
69. Miriam Anne Frank Netherlands Centre for Indigenous The Netherlands
Peoples (NCIV)
70. Fiona Archer South Africa
71. Maurizio Farhan Ferrari Forest Peoples' Programme United Kingdom
72. Enrique Cano Spain
73. Richard Rainsford
74. Genaro Blanco Pagkakaisa ng Aeta ng Pinatubo Philippines
75. Roger Gaberell Switzerland
76. Thomas Stenersen Switzerland
77. Josdoa Inaki Arregi Basque, Spain
78. Toshi Aiuchi Shimin Gaikou Centre (SGC) Japan
79. Uemura Hideaki SGC Japan
80. Lo Man Fong SGC Japan
81. Chika Onaka SGC Japan
82. Kelly Dietz SGC Japan
83. Eri Ocho SGC Japan
84. Anneke Groth Tourism Alert Switzerland
85. Carla Barbosa Secretaria do Estado de Sao Brazil
Paulo do Meio Ambiente
86. Andrea Muhlebach International Workgroup for USA
Indigenous Affairs
87. Rebecca Fan University of Colombia USA
86. Yvonne Mei-Jung Aboriginal Cultural Promotion Taiwan
Association
87. Raymundo Rovillos Tebtebba Foundation Philippines
Those who would like to sign on please send an e-mail to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] or a fax message to TEBTEBBA
FOUNDATION at 63-74-4439459. Please write your name, your organization, and
your address.
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