>
> Dear Listers, I thought you might like to read the following:
>
> >Dear friends,
> >
> >Monsanto's field trials in Karnataka will be reduced to
> ashes, starting on
> >Saturday. Two days ago the Minister of Agriculture of
> Karnataka gave a press
> >conference where he was forced by the journalists to
> disclose the three sites
> >where field trials with Bt cotton are being conducted (for
> background
> >information about the trials, see appendix 2 at the
> bottom). KRRS activists
> >have already contacted the owners of these fields, to
> explain them which
> >action
> >will be taken, and for what reasons, and to let them know
> that the KRRS will
> >cover any loses they will suffer. On Saturday the 28th of
> November, at midday,
> >thousands of farmers will occupy and burn down the three
> fields in front of
> >the
> >cameras, in an open, announced action of civil
> disobedience.
> >
> >These actions will start a campaign of direct action by
> farmers against
> >biotechnology, called Operation 'Cremation Monsanto', which
> will not stop
> >until
> >all the corporate killers like Monsanto, Novartis, Pioneer
> etc leave the
> >country. Farmers' leaders from the states of Maharastra,
> Gujarat and Madhya
> >Pradesh (states where Monsanto is also conducting field
> trials) were yesterday
> >in Bangalore to prepare the campaign.
> >
> >The campaign will run under the following slogans:
> >
> >STOP GENETIC ENGINEERING
> >NO PATENTS ON LIFE
> >CREMATE MONSANTO
> >BURY THE WTO
> >
> >along with a more specific message for all those who have
> invested on
> >Monsanto:
> >You should rather take your money out before we reduce it
> to ashes.
> >
> >We know that stopping biotechnology in India will not be of
> much help to us if
> >it continues in other countries, since the threats that it
> poses do not
> >stop at
> >the borders. We also think that the kind of actions that
> will be going on in
> >India have the potential not only to kick those corporate
> killers out of our
> >country: if we play our cards right at global level and
> coordinate our work,
> >these actions can also pose a major challenge to the
> survival of these
> >corporations in the stock markets. Who wants to invest in a
> mountain of ashes,
> >in offices that are constantly being squatted (and if
> necessary even
> >destroyed)
> >by activists?
> >
> >For these reasons, we are making an international call for
> direct action
> >against Monsanto and the rest of the biotech gang. This
> call for action will
> >hopefully inspire all the people who are already doing a
> brilliant work
> >against
> >biotech, and many others who so far have not been very
> active on the issue, to
> >join hands in a quick, effective worldwide effort.
> >
> >This is a very good moment to target Monsanto, since it has
> run out of cash in
> >its megalomaniac attempt to monopolise the life industry in
> record time. It is
> >going now through a hard time of layoffs and
> restructuration in a desperate
> >effort to survive, since it cannot pay its bills. It is
> also a good time
> >because several recent scandals (like the pulping of the
> Monsanto edition of
> >The Ecologist, the whole Terminator Technology affaire,
> the illegal
> >introduction of Bt Cotton in Zimbabwe, etc) have
> contributed to its profile as
> >corporate killer, which, being the creators of Vietnam
> Wars Agent Organe and
> >rBHG, was already good enough, anyhow.
> >
> >We are hence making a call to:
> >
> >* Take direct actions against biotech TNCs, particularly
> Monsanto (be it
> >squatting or burning their fields, squatting or destroying
> their offices, etc)
> >* Maintain the local or/and national press informed about
> all the actions
> >going
> >on around the world
> >* Take direct actions at stock exchanges targeting
> Monsanto, to draw attention
> >on its state of bankruptcy
> >
> >We are making this call for action on the line of Peoples'
> Global Action
> >(PGA),
> >a worldwide network of peoples' movements, in order to
> emphasize the political
> >analysis beyond our opposition to biotechnology. This
> analysis does not only
> >take environmental concerns into account, and is not
> limited to the defense of
> >food security - it attacks neoliberal globalisation as a
> whole, the WTO regime
> >as its most important tool, and the global power structures
> (G8, NATO, etc) as
> >the root of all these problems. You will find the complete
> political analysis
> >on the manifesto of the PGA, which you will find in the web
> page
> ><http://www.agp.org/>www.agp.org
> >
> >The fact that this call for action takes place on line with
> PGA also has other
> >implications:
> >
> >* We are calling ONLY for non-violent direct actions.
> Non-violence in this
> >context means that we should respect all (non-genetically
> modified) living
> >beings, including policemen and the people who work for
> these TNCs
> >* The campaign will take place in a decentralised manner,
> and nobody should
> >speak on behalf of other people involved in the campaign
> without their consent
> >(also not on behalf of PGA, of course); however, people are
> welcome to report
> >about the actions of others without pretending to represent
> them.
> >
> >If you want to be informed of what is going on around the
> world on this
> >matter,
> >please send a message to [email protected] with the
> message subscribe
> >pga-ge on the text body. This way you will be informed
> about what is going on
> >in India and in other countries. (The list will be active a
> few hours after we
> >send this message).
> >
> >Please, try not write back to this address, since we will
> be madly busy in the
> >next days with the mobilisations. However, if you have good
> contacts with
> >international media (CNN, BBC, TV5, etc) and want to help
> us to get them here
> >to cover the bonfire at Monsantos field please let us know
> as soon as
> >possible.
> >
> >Friendly greetings,
> >
> >Prof. Nanjundaswamy
> >President, Karnataka State Farmers Association
> >
> >********************
> >
> >Appendix 1: "Police Protection to all American Companies in
> Bangalore City",
> >article appeared in Samykta Karnataka, November 25th
> >
> >Police Protection to all American Companies in Bangalore
> City
> >
> >Bangalore Nov. 25th
> >
> >It has come to light that the American Ambassador in Dehli
> has written to the
> >Government of the State of Karnataka asking to provide a
> strong police
> >protection to all American companies in the city.
> >
> >Pointing out the previuos repeated attacks on American
> companies by
> >miscreants, the Ambassador has requested the State
> Government to create an
> >atmosphere without fear and anxiety for them to work.
> >
> >He has stressed the need for a special security for
> companies related to
> >science and technology and also the their hundreds of
> foreign companies in the
> >city.
> >
> >Tight Security for Monsanto
> >
> >Anticipating attack on the offices of Monsanto in
> Bangalore, tight security
> >has
> >been provided from today, top police sources confirmed.
> >
> >Police have said in their note that they are providing
> security for the
> >company
> >owning the Terminator Technology and having the right to
> sell seeds which do
> >not germinate for the second time. In a city where most of
> the TNCs are based,
> >the present developments have made them to work with fear
> and anxiety.
> >
> >(Translated from Kannada)
> >
> >*********************
> >
> >Appendix 2: Monsanto under siege in India, message sent on
> 23rd November 1998
> >
> > **please distribute as widely as possible**
> >
> >Dear friends,
> >
> >On Monday the 16th the public was informed by Indian
> newspapers that
> >Monsanto (well known in India for the Terminator
> Technology) has been
> >conducting 40 field trials with genetically manipulated
> cotton across five
> >Indian states for the last three months. Monsanto is
> testing a hybrid
> >cotton seed that has been genetically engineered to produce
> the Bacillus
> >thuringiensis (Bt) enzyme. The permission granted by the
> federal government
> >in Delhi pertains the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu,
> Andrah Pradesh,
> >Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Now that peoples'
> movements are
> >starting to mobilise on this matter, the same central
> government that
> >granted the permission is inviting Monsanto to leave the
> country.
> >
> >Monsanto has formed a joint venture with Mahyco (a 30 years
> old seed
> >company) to carry out these field trails. According to the
> media, Monsanto
> >now owns 26 percent of Mahyco.
> >
> >In the rest of the message I include some excerpts of the
> newspaper
> >coverage of this affaire. We will keep you informed of the
> developments in
> >this part of the world, which will most probably include a
> number of
> >nonviolent direct actions to burn down the genetically
> modified crops and
> >kick Monsanto physically out of the country. We encourage
> you to do similar
> >actions all over the world maybe we can make Monsanto's
> shareholders feel
> >our pressure reflected on the value of their stocks.
> >
> >Friendly greetings,
> >
> >Prof. Nanjundaswamy
> >President, Karnataka State Farmers Association
> >[email protected]
> >
> >'Curiously though agriculture is a state subject, Karnataka
> Government
> >seems unaware of the trials going on in the State.
> Agriculture Minister C.
> >Byre Gowda admitted that he had been informend of the
> ongoing trials but
> >was unaware of where they were being undertaken in
> Karnataka or in
> >Maharashtra.' (The Indian Express, Bangalore edition, cover
> page, 16th
> >November)
> >
> >The trials started three months ago although the 'Ministry
> of Science and
> >Technology has admitted that it does not have the requisite
> regulatoy
> >regimen to assess the risk of dealing with such transgenic
> material for
> >which biosafty guidelines have only now been issued.' (The
> Indian Express,
> >Bangalore edition, cover page, 18th November). In that
> sense, the
> >University of Agriculture Science (UAS) Bangalore warned
> that 'The genetic
> >modification involved in geneticlly engineered hybrid seeds
> is a concealed
> >one that cannot be ascertaiened with existing regulations
> of the seed act
> >and quarantine.' (ibid.) B.R. Hedge, Director of Research
> at UAS, affirmed
> >that 'The Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR)
> was only now
> >starting to look at ways which regulatory mechnisms should
> be put in place
> >to check the clandestine import of such genetic material.
> Nevertheless, for
> >the moment we have nothing ready' (The Indian Express,
> Bangalore edition,
> >page 9, 18th November)
> >
> >The KRRS has issued a deadline to the State Government and
> Monsanto to
> >disclose the places where the trials are being conducted
> and the exact
> >description of the seeds that are being tested. '"Monsanto
> should reveal
> >immediately where the trials are being conducted" failing
> which "direct
> >action would follow on the company's office in Malleswaram"
> he [Prof.
> >Nanjundaswamy] threatened. "The government can foist 100
> cases of attempt
> >to murder [against us], but we will throw it [Monsanto]
> out... first from
> >Karnataka, next from Maharashtra" ... The former professor
> of law wondered
> >how the State's Agriculture Minister could be unaware of
> the trials. "The
> >Government cannot continue for three minutes" considering
> its irresponsible
> >behaviour, he said'. (The Indian Express, Bangalore
> edition, page 4, 20th
> >November)
> >'Monsanto will have to leave the country within a week.
> Otherwise we will
> >be forced to throw them out. We have given a day's
> ultimatum to the company
> >to furnish details about the seed trials undertaken in the
> state and the
> >country.' (Prof. Nanjundasway in The Times of India,
> Bangalore edition,
> >page 5 20th November).
> >
> >Although the field trials are testing BT cotton, the Indian
> press and
> >politiciancs seem to be rather confused and are mixing up
> this issue with
> >the terminator technology, which has been used by opponents
> of Monsanto as
> >an example of the destructive potential of this
> corporation. However, this
> >confusion is making it easier for Monsanto to reject any
> accusation by
> >denying the use of this technology. Here are some
> statements about this
> >issue taken from the last days press.
> >
> >'Second and Third World markets are the main targets for
> the terminator
> >seed.'
> >William Phelps, Spokesman, Department of Agriculture, USA
> (quoted in The
> >Indian Express, Bangalore edition, cover page, 18 November)
> >
> >'It is not merly the economic factors that threaten the
> poor farmers of the
> >world, but it is nature of the Terminator gene itself,
> since the pollen
> >from the crops carrying the Terminator will infect the
> fields of farmers
> >who either reject, or cannot afford the technology.'
> >(UAS, quoted in The Indian Express, Bangalore edition,
> cover page, 18
> >November)
> >
> >'This is a terminator of biodiversity, terminator of food
> security. It is
> >a damaging technology because pollination pollution can
> render all
> >indigenous varieties sterile. This gene will slowly remove
> all
> >characteristics of germination from seeds. This means the
> harvest seeds
> >cannot be used for sowing during the next seseason. It will
> also force seed
> >dependency on farmers who cannot afford to buy seeds.
> >Monoculture was introduced in the country in 1965 with an
> aim to provide
> >food security. When Green Revolution Technology introduced
> monoculture it
> >was thought the method would be very effective.
> Terminatorgene is being
> >dubbed as a second Green Revolution Technology. This, too,
> will prove
> >ineffective.
> >Genetically modified seeds are polluting the local species.
> It will not
> >solve the food problem, in fact it will terminate food
> security along with
> >biodiversity.'
> >(Prof. Nanjundaswamy, quoted in The Times of India,
> Bangalore edition, page
> >5, 20th November)
> >
> >The sincerity of Monsanto can be easily assessed by the
> usual roguish reply
> >it gave to the critics: 'Monsanto will only bring to India,
> products and
> >technologies which are consistent with what India wants and
> its laws
> >aprove.... Monsanto has not, and will not, bring to India
> any technology
> >that will adversely affect the environment, current
> agricuture practices
> >and force farmers to use any technology it provides.'
> (Monsanto statement
> >quoted in Deccan Herald, Bangalore edition, page 9, 21th
> November)
> >
> >Yesterday the Union Minister for Rural Development,
> Babagouda Patil,
> >declared that 'Monsanto wil be asked to leave India'
> (headline, The Times
> >of India, Bangalore edition, page 5, 23 November).
> >
> >'He said that he recieved Information that Monsanto is
> developing and
> >conducting field trials on the "terminator gene" seeds at a
> private farm in
> >Ranebennur taluk of Haveri district. "I have informed the
> Prime Minister
> >and Union Agriculture Minister", he said. He said he knew
> the complications
> >arising out of the issue due to WTO stipulations. "But the
> government will
> >not compromise on this issue as crores of farmers' lives
> will be in danger.
> >The terminator gene seed will pose a serious threat to
> Indian agriculture."
> >The Union cabinet is expected to deliberate on the issue
> besides initiating
> >measures to close Monsanto's buisness operations in the
> country... He said
> >that the Center would not hesitate to withdraw from WTO if
> its provisions
> >threaten our very existence.' (The Times of India,
> Bangalore edition, page
> >5 23rd November)
--
Debbie McDonald
mailto:[email protected]
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