---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2001 00:17:19 -0800
From: charlotte utting <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [WASAN] FW: [adnalist] ACTION: Invitation to Endorse and Promote
the AFRICA Resolution
Shall we sign on? David is out of the country, but I will do so if you
agree...Charlotte
----------
From: Nunu Kidane <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sun, 11 Nov 2001 09:46:19 -0800
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [adnalist] ACTION: Invitation to Endorse and Promote the AFRICA
Resolution
ADNA Action: 011111
Message from: Africa Faith and Justice Network
For contact information see also:
http://www.africapolicy.org/adna
Friends:
this message from AFJN calls on your support to protect and respect the
rights of indigenous African farmers. Unfortunately, the attachments from
AFJN could not be sent on this list serve. For separate mailing or to
contact them for further information, write to: Larry Goodwin Larry J.
Goodwin [log in to unmask], tel: 202/832-3412 or check out their web site at:
http://afjn.cua.edu
Nunu
------------------------------------------------------------
Multinational corporations are increasingly laying claim to food crops and
medicinal plants in developing countries that have been used by farmers and
local communities for countless generations. Patents on African
agricultural resources threaten the ability of local farmers to freely
safeguard, access, use, save, exchange and sell their seeds and crops.
Patents put local food security and farm income at risk by taking control of
traditional resources away from local farmers. The privatization of
agricultural resources, accompanied by the promotion of herbicides,
pesticides and other agricultural inputs by outside interests, threaten
long-term harm to bio-diversity and encourage an industrial type of
agriculture ill-suited to small scale farmers and African patterns of land
ownership
On 02 November 01, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) introduced the Agriculture and
Farm Resources for the Indigenous Communities of Africa (AFRICA) Resolution
(H.Con.Res. 260). This resolution urges U.S. backing for the OAU-initiated
"African Model Legislation for the Protection of the Rights of Local
Communities, Farmers and Breeders, and for the Regulation of Access to
Biological Resources."
H.Con.Res.260 is a major step forward in efforts to support our African
partners and colleagues who are pushing hard for farmers' rights, and for
safeguarding food security, sustainable development, local culture,
traditional knowledge and biodiversity in Africa. AFJN and the Africa Trade
Policy Working Group express our deep appreciation to Rep. Waters for her
hard work and commitment to African farmers. We are working to have a
companion Senate resolution in the near future.
The AFRICA Resolution addresses issues of direct relevance to hungry people,
rural communities and smallholder farmers in Africa; its principles touch on
family farmers throughout the world.
WE INVITE YOUR ORGANIZATION TO ENDORSE THE AFRICA RESOLUTION. PLEASE
CONTACT KATHLEEN SENGSTOCK IN REP. WATERS' OFFICE AT 202 225 2201 OR E-MAIL
HER AT <[log in to unmask]>.
Attached is a PDF version of H.Con.Res. 260. And the text is copied at the
bottom of this email. (Please contact AFJN for the attachment - it cannot
be sent on this listserve)
ALSO, JOIN US IN SHARING THE ATTACHED URGENT ACTION ALERT AS WIDELY AND
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. OUR AIM IS TO GAIN AS MANY CONGRESSIONAL ENDORSERS AS
POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. PLEASE SEND IT TO YOUR NETWORKS, COLLEAGUES
AND PARTNERS IN THE U.S. AND OVERSEAS.
WE INVITE OUR AFRICAN AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS AND COLLEAGUES TO TAKE PART
IN THIS ACTION. PLEASE SEND LETTERS AND EMAILS VOICING SUPPORT OF
H.CON.RES.260 TO:
- Rep. Ed Royce (Chair, Int'l Relations/Africa Subcommittee)
- Rep. Donald Payne (Ranking, Int'l Relations/Africa
Subcommittee)<[log in to unmask]>
- Rep. William Thomas (Chair, Ways & Means Committee)
- Rep. Charles Rangel (Ranking, Ways & Means Committee)
<[log in to unmask]>
- Rep. James Clyburn (Chair, Congressional Black Caucus)
<[log in to unmask]>
Send letters to: U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515
Our efforts, in concert with those of our faith-based, social justice and
NGO partners in Africa,
will help persuade the US and the WTO to respect and support the principles
and provisions of the African Model Legislation.
Respectfully,
Larry J. Goodwin
Associate Director for Organizing
Africa Faith & Justice Network
3035 Fourth St., NE
Washington, DC 20017
202/832-3412 (ph)
202/832-9051 (fx)
http://afjn.cua.edu
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 260
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Ms. WATERS submitted the following concurrent resolution.
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the trade and economic development
policies of the United States should respect and support the rights of
African farmers with respect to their agricultural and biological
resources,traditional knowledge, and technologies.
Whereas indigenous agricultural and biological resources, traditional
knowledge, and technologies are vitally important to the economies,
cultures, environment, food security, and rural livelihoods of sub-Saharan
Africa;
Whereas the majority of Africans in the sub-Saharan region depend directly
on agriculture for their daily sustenance and income needs;
Whereas the majority of farmers in this region cultivate their crops on
small family plots, growing crops and raising livestock for their own food
needs, saving and exchanging their seeds and produce, and freely selling
their surplus harvest according to traditional practices passed on for
generations;
Whereas African women are the main producers of food crops cultivated for
family and local consumption;
Whereas public access to and communal prerogatives over agricultural and
biological resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies are integral
to African culture, food security, and to the local economies;
Whereas corporations and outside individuals are profiting from the use of
these agricultural and biological re-sources, and from the traditional
knowledge and technologies, without the prior agreement of African farmers
and local communities;
Whereas the international trend toward the patenting of life forms threatens
public access to and communal prerogatives over agricultural and biological
resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies in Africa; and
Whereas in order to safeguard the access and rights of African farmers to
their agricultural and biological resources, traditional knowledge, and
technologies, the Organization of African Unity has developed the African
Model Legislation for the Protection of the Rights of Local Communities,
Farmers and Breeders, and for the Regulation of Access to Biological
Resources:
Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that
(1) African nations and people have the right to ensure the conservation,
evaluation, and sustainable use of their agricultural and biological
resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies, and to govern access to
them;
(2) African farmers have the right to access, use, exchange, and share their
agricultural and biological resources, traditional knowledge, and
technologies as established by customary law and practice;
(3) African nations have the right to protect the rights of farmers and
communities to their agricultural and biological resources, traditional
knowledge, and technologies;
(4) the patenting of life forms that are part of African agricultural and
biological resources, traditional knowledge, and technologies violates these
rights;
(5) the African Model Legislation for the Protection of the Rights of Local
Communities, Farmers and Breeders, and for the Regulation of Access to
Biological Resources seeks to recognize, protect, and support these rights;
and
(6) the trade and economic development policies of the United States toward
Africa should respect and support the rights of African farmers with respect
to their agricultural and biological resources, traditional knowledge, and
technologies, and the provisions of the African Model Legislation.
--------------------
This message from the Africa Faith & Justice Network is distributed through
the
Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA) via IDEX
Nunu Kidane
Advocacy Network for Africa (ADNA)
Communications Facilitator for IDEX
International Development Exchange - IDEX
827 Valencia Street, Suite 101
San Francisco, CA 94110
Tel: (415) 824 8384
Fax: (415 824 8387
e-mail: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
URL: http://www.idex.org
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
To unsubscribe your e-mail address from this group,
send an email to: [log in to unmask]
To ensure that the ADNA database is updated correctly,
please also send a copy of your request, or any other
request for changes in your membership information,
to [log in to unmask] For additional assistance
with the adnalist yahoogroup, write to [log in to unmask]
For additional assistance with ADNA database information,
write to [log in to unmask]
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Universal Inkjet Refill Kit $29.95
Refill any ink cartridge for less!
Includes black and color ink.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/ltH6zA/MkNDAA/ySSFAA/DKgolB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Next WASAN meeting is Wednesday, Nov 28. Location: Safeco Jackson Street Center, 306 23rd Ave. S at S. Main St, Suite 200 , Seattle
7:00 PM WASAN business meeting
7:30 PM Program: TBA
We usually meet the fourth Wednesday of the month. For a calendar of local Africa events see www.ibike.org/africamatters/calendar.htm . To post a message: [log in to unmask] To subscribe send a message to [log in to unmask] To unsubscribe send a message to [log in to unmask] . All past postings are archived at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wa-afr-network
Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>
To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface
at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to:
[log in to unmask]
<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>
|
