In a written invitation to Canadian Environment Minister
Stéphane Dion,the groups called on the minister to join them for
the opening of thebiosafety protocol meeting, for a 'return to
sender' activity in orderto hand over to him Canadian GE canola
found to be growing wild inJapan.
As predicted by environmental, farming and social movements, GE
seedshave, since their introduction in 1996, contaminated food
crops and theenvironment right across the globe. Over 50 incidents
of illegal orunapproved GE contamination have been documented in 25
countries on 5continents, and those are only the recorded
incidents.
Illegal and unapproved GE contamination of seeds and crops has
beenrecorded in maize in Mexico, rice in China, soya in Brazil,
papaya inThailand, oilseed rape in Europe, cotton in India, canola
in Canada,and now, in the latest example, GE canola in Japan. In
Chile, where theWorld Seed Congress starts today,
Greenpeace is calling attention to the latest case of illegal
maizeseed contamination, the first to be found in this country
highlydependent on its export seed industry.
"GMOs have been found growing in the fields of farmers who never
askedfor, nor ever wanted, GE anywhere near their fields. Yet
instead ofcompensation the farmers have found themselves forced by
sharp lawyersand intimidation to pay the GE seed companies -- for
damage to thecompany's patent!" Greenpeace GE Campaigner Doreen
Stabinsky said.
Potentially allergenic GE maize (Starlink) has contaminated
foodproducts on two continents and dangerous GE pharmaceutical
crops havebeen discovered in silos of harvested crops in the USA.
In themeantime, field trials or commercial growing of anything from
pigvaccines to industrial plastics continues apace in the USA.
"If states don't act now to make producers and exporters
accountable,further and more dangerous GMO contamination is around
the corner,"said Stabinsky.
Greenpeace demands negotiators immediately establish an
interimliability regime and compensation fund for harm done to
farmers,consumers or the environment.
"The evidence shows that GMOs may cause irreversible harm to
ecosystemsand biodiversity even far away from their country of
origin. As long asno binding international liability regulations
have been agreed,importing countries risk that they may have to pay
for the damagethemselves," said Stabinsky. "Under these
conditions, countriesshould simply refuse to accept imports of
GMOs."
Other contacts: Doreen Stabinsky PhD, Greenpeace GE Campaigner +1 202 285 7398 Andrew Male, Greenpeace Canada Communications Coordinator +1 416 880 2757
Exp. contact date: 2006-05-30 00:00:00