Press release - July 30, 2004
Greenpeace today revealed that genetically engineered (GE) papaya has been grown for at least 12 months on a farm in the province of Khon Kaen in a widening GE contamination scandal and violation of the country's GE ban. The revelation is part of the environmental group's ongoing investigation of GE papaya seeds illegally sold by the agricultural research station of the Department of Agriculture (DOA) in the said province.
Independent laboratory test results dated 24 June 2004 (1) show
that the fruit of a papaya tree on a local farmer's land is GE. The
GE papaya tree is 12 months old and is grown from papaya seeds
purchased from the research station in June 2003.
"Test results from random sampling show that GE papaya trees on
this particular farm have been grown for at least 12 months. The
government must take action to investigate the extent of this
contamination and prevent it from spreading. All farmers who have
purchased papaya seeds from the research station have a right to
know whether GE papaya trees are growing on their land and whether
their families are already eating GE papaya. Farmers such as this
one is a victim of the environmental crime committed by the
Department of Agriculture, " said Jiragorn Gajaseni, Executive
Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
Greenpeace reiterated its demand that the DOA's research
station, one of the largest papaya seed suppliers in the country,
immediately stop the sale of papaya seeds and seedlings and that
all papaya seeds, seedlings, trees and fruit on the research
station be destroyed in order to prevent further contamination.
"We're urge the government to stop this experiment now. The
government must impose a total ban on GE field trials, including
those in government restricted areas and experimental stations," he
added.
On Tuesday, Greenpeace activists sealed off an experimental
field of GE papaya at the DOA's research station in Khon Kaen after
finding evidence that it is the source of genetic contamination of
one of Asia's most important food crops. Despite very clear
evidence of contamination, the DOA did not do anything to contain
this contamination. It announced it was filing legal charges
against Greenpeace instead of investigating the risks posed by GMO
papaya contamination to Thai citizens and the environment.
"Here is evidence showing that for at least a year packets of
papaya seeds sold by the research station contained GMO seeds, and
now these trees are bearing fruit and farmers are eating them. The
extent of the damage is unknown. What is clear is that the
government must act to protect the Thai public," said Patwajee
Srisuwan, Genetic Engineering Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast
Asia.
Notes: 1) Tests were conducted by GeneScan (HongKong) Ltd, www.genescan.com