---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 15:19:06 +0000
From: Charlotte Utting <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [WASAN] FW: ADNA UPDATE: AFJN Denounces Imposing GM Food Aid on
Africa
----------
From: "Nunu Kidane" <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 2002 13:21:52 -0700
To: "ADNA E-mail List" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: ADNA UPDATE: AFJN Denounces Imposing GM Food Aid on Africa
ADNA UPDATE: 020911
Message from: Africa Faith and Justice Network
For contact information see also:
http://www.africaaction.org/adna
Press Release -- AFJN DENOUNCES IMPOSING GM FOOD AID
ON AFRICA
Africa Faith & Justice Network, a USA-based NGO comprised of
Catholic religious and social justice groups, denounced USA
Government policies of imposing genetically modified (GM) food aid
on southern African countries facing severe drought and famine. Dr.
Lawrence J. Goodwin, representing AFJN at the World Summit on
Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, stated, "This tactic
blatantly benefits agri-business, not poor and hungry people."
Echoing the analysis of many NGOs at the summit, he said, "The
USA Government could have paid to mill the American maize, as
southern African governments requested, or purchased organic
grain to send to the drought-stricken region, instead of insisting on
shipping GM whole grain knowing that local farmers would plant it."
Goodwin, who worked in Africa for 10-years, expressed dismay at
USA moves to use the desperate situation in southern Africa for its
own market advantage. "Africans have consistently rejected GM
grain. Now pollen from the genetically altered maize will
contaminate local varieties, which USA companies expect will
ultimately make local farmers dependent on corporate seeds and
herbicides," he said. "Corporations can claim patent rights over
farmers' crops that have been polluted by the GM plants, which will
only lead to African smallholder farmers losing control of their
seeds, crops, and perhaps of their land itself." By planting GM
seeds, African countries will also lose access to their primary
export market, Europe, causing long-term devastation to their
struggling economies.
AFJN has worked for 20-years on economic justice for Africa and
spent the last 2-years urging the USA Government to support
African farmer and community rights. In November 2001 it was
instrumental in the introduction of a House of Representatives
resolution upholding African community prerogatives to access,
save, use and breed seeds and crops as opposed to corporate
actions to own and control them.
"The USA Government wants to see its corporations control life's
most basic resources, including seeds, food crops and water,"
Goodwin said. "Unfortunately for southern Africa, the drought plays
right into this unprincipled strategy."
E-mail [log in to unmask] Website <http://afjn.cua.edu/>
---------------------------
This message from Africa Faith and 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
www.idex.org
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Next WASAN meeting is Wednesday, August 28, 2002. Location: Safeco Jackson Street Center, E Main between 23 & 24, Suite 200, Seattle
7:00 pm Business meeting (everyone is welcome)
7:30 PM "Africa 101: The Diversity and Complexity of Africa." Everyone is welcome.
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