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| GM-ACT: PEOPLE'S CARAVAN
2000 - PRESS RELEASE 14 November 26th 2000
This is a farmers protest against GM crops, patents, corporate take-over of agriculture and other threats to small farmers. Currently demonstrating in Bangladesh, India and the Philippines. To subscribe send a 'subscribe to press releases' message to pcaravan@tm.net. [Earlier daily press releases archived at www.poptel.org.uk/panap/caravan.htm ] Your support in the distribution of this
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The People's Caravan 2000 - Land and Food Without Poisons! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 24 November, 2000 PRESS RELEASE THE PEOPLE'S CARAVAN - "CITIZENS ON THE MOVE FOR LAND AND FOOD WITHOUT POISONS! IN BANGLADESH - NOVEMBER 18-24 Kicking off in India on November 13, the People's Caravan - "Citizen's on the Move for Land and Food Without Poisons!" moved to Bangladesh on November 18-24 and will culminate in the Philippines between November 26 - 30, with activities on November 30 commemorating "One Year Since Seattle". The Caravan, comprised of thousands of farmers, landless peasants, farm workers, anti-pesticide and anti-genetic engineering advocates, is firmly opposed to globalisation and its potentially devastating effects upon the Asia Pacific region. The Caravan targets the immoral practices of transnational corporations (TNCs) in their push for corporate dominance and control of local and regional food and agricultural production systems. The Caravan seeks an end to globalisation; and instead advocates genuine agrarian reform to achieve food security, social justice, and land and food without poisons. Travelling more than 1400 kilometers, delegates from UBINIG (Policy Research for Development Alternatives) Dhaka; Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP); Dr. Michael Hansen, an expert on genetic engineering of the Consumers Union in the United States; Indian farmers Mr Kollapuri Murugan and Ms Santi Gangadharan;belonging to the Rural Women's Liberation Movement and the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Labourers Movement; and Canadian farmer Percy Schmeiser spread the message of the People's Caravan to the people and farmers of Bangladesh. Sarojeni V. Rengam, Executive Director, PAN AP, spoke of the ongoing ill effects of pesticides and pesticide poisoning. Of particular concern were the long term effects of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and their impacts on the human hormone and reproductive systems and child growth and development. This long, culturally vibrant and important move across Bangladesh kicked off in Dhaka on November 17 with a cultural event of Bangladeshi traditional popular movement songs at the Narigrantha Prabartana (Feminist Book Store). From here it moved through farmers' communities - in the areas of Comilla, Cox's Bazaar, Tangail, and Pabna - finishing with a press conference today in Dhaka. Shahid Hussain Shamim, Director of UBINIG, says the People's Caravan is an important event for supporting and mobilising resistence by farmers, consumers and the community to the threats posed by the dominance and control of transnational corporations (TNCs) of our land, food and livelihoods. Percy Schmeiser is here "To share my views of how my field was contaminated with genetically altered Roundup Ready canola against my knowledge and wishes. This has destroyed my seeds which I have been developing for over fifty years. What I want to say to farmers all over Asia is that they should never ever sign any contract that takes away their right to use their own seeds. If they give up this right they are basically losing their freedom. Anyone who controls the seed supply will also control the food supply. This amounts to controlling a Nation. This is why it is so important that farmers always maintain their right to use their own seeds." Schmeiser, a canola farmer from Bruno, Saskatchewan, Canada, is currently counter suing Monsanto over allegations that he illegally planted their variety of genetically engineered canola. Over 500 farmers, fisherfolk, students, teachers and government officials were in Chakaria at the public meeting in front of the Purba Boro Behula school ground on November 20 to here the message of the caravan. Jahanara Begum, a women farmer from the area, summed up the event by rousing the crowd. "We should stop using pesticides. We don't want these companies seeds and their poisons. We can use our own traditional seed. Tell your friends, your neighbours, tell everybody!" So strong was the concern over pesticides and genetically engineered seeds that Nazir Hussein, a village elder and farmer who works 6 acres of land--and was previously elected to the village union council--made a public committment to stop using pesticides on his farm and would not ever buy genetically engineered seeds. Farmers and citizens from the Elliotganj, Comilla flocked to another public meeting on November 21 held within the Pankuri fishing community. As Sakiul Millat Morshed, Executive Director of SHISUK (Shikkha Shastha Unnayan Karzakram), organisers of the event, explains, the project is a model of sustainable agriculture integrating fish rearing and rice farming. Morshed said the event was held here to show farmers that "communities can resist globalisation by harnessing their own resources. The strategy also keeps the people out of the 'TNC dependent mentality' and keeps them out of debt. The project has resulted in reduced pesticide use, and a reduction in fertiliser use that has resulted in an increase in the natural fertility of the land. This farming system can help implement integrated pest management (IPM)." On November 22 the caravan stopped over in Bishnupur, Pathrail, Tangail for a half day seminar. Farmers in the crowd, upon hearing the experience of Schmeiser with the multinational agro chemical giant Monsanto, chanted "down with Monsanto, down with Monsanto". They became even more vocal upon hearing the terrible threats to farmers livelihoods if they plant genetically engineered crops from Dr Hansen. The "teach-in" and public seminar in Pabna on November 23 drew a mixed crowd from local farmers, citizens, agricultural bank managers, local government representatives and people who sell pesticides. The crowd listened intently to the message of the caravan and gobbled up literature and other materials. Teenkori Lal Das, a mango and rice farmer from the Nawabganj district, north-west Bangladesh summed up the message of the caravan saying: "The farmers of Bangladesh should reject the seeds and pesticides pushed by these giant companies. We have our own local varieties of crops that we need to protect. The seeds should be in the hands of the farmers. Doing it our own way is the way to resist these companies!" For more information contact:
UBINIG (Policy Research for Development
Alternatives), and Nayakrishi Andolon E-mail: nkrishi@bracbd.net
People's Caravan 2000
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