<PRE><TT>Für die Info-Liste,
Liebe Grüße,
Peter.
------- Forwarded message follows -------
To: <<A href="http://us.f411.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=mexiconews@globalexchange.org&YY=29635&order=down&sort=date&pos=0">mexiconews@globalexchange.org</A>>(Mexico News email
List)
Date sent: Thu, 5 Dec 2002 18:03:17 -0800
Subject: The Crisis in the Mexican Countryside: Updates on
Three
Critical Issues
From: Mexico Program <<A href="http://us.f411.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=mexico@globalexchange.org&YY=29635&order=down&sort=date&pos=0">mexico@globalexchange.org</A>>
Dear Friends,
The crisis surrounding the GE corn crisis in Mexico has taken still
more turns since our recent report back in October titled 'Genetically
Engineered (GE) Corn Contamination - One Year Later'. Please find
below reports on three critical issues that effect corn farming and
agricultural production in Mexico.
1) Nature journal corn contamination saga continues
2) NAFTA body to study effects of GE contamination: conflict of
interest among members of the Advisory Group 3) The North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the final blow against Mexican
farmers 4) 'Nature Refuses to Publish Study of GMOs', La Jornada,
Angelica Enciso L. and Andres T. Morales, October 22, 2002 5) NAFTA
Equals Death, Say Peasant Farmers, IPS, Diego Cevallos, December 3,
2002
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------- 1) Nature journal corn
contamination saga continues
As you may remember, in the November 2001 edition, the scientific
journal Nature published a groundbreaking study by two University of
California - Berkeley researchers, demonstrating the presence of
genetic contamination of native Mexican corn varieties. The report was
heavily attacked by both the biotech industry and pro-biotech
academics, which forced Nature to yield, and eventually retract the
report in April 2002. Not one criticism however, denied the existence
of genetically contaminated corn in Mexico. For background on this
issue, see:
<A href="http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/mexico/biodiversity/" target=_blank>http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/mexico/biodiversity/</A> and
<A href="http://www.foodfirst.org/pubs/backgrdrs/2002/sp02v8n2.html" target=_blank>http://www.foodfirst.org/pubs/backgrdrs/2002/sp02v8n2.html</A>
In the latest development, uncovered this October, Nature refused to
publish a study by the Mexican National Ecology Institute (INE), that
confirms the genetic contamination of native Mexican corn varieties.
Dr. Exequiel Escurra, president of the INE explained that Nature's
peer reviewers of the INE’s report provided two, contradictory
explanations for its rejection. The first, stating that the
contamination was too obvious to bother publishing, while the second
reviewer claimed that the INE’s investigation was methodologically
flawed.
As a result, civil society organizations like Greenpeace, UNORCA,
CECCAM and Global Exchange petitioned Dr. Escurra to publish the INE’s
study for independent peer review in a joint letter.
For more information about the recent news, see article below.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------- 2) NAFTA body to study
effects of GE contamination: conflict of interest among members of the
Advisory Group
On October 7 the Commission on Environmental Cooperation (CEC) named
members to a 16 person Advisory Group to investigate the GE corn
contamination in Mexico. The CEC is the body established under the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), to promote environmental
cooperation between NAFTA countries, and implement the North American
Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC). The formal request to
investigate the contamination was presented to the CEC by indigenous,
campesinos, and other civil society organizations on April 24. The
Secretariat of the CEC notified NAFTA member countries on June 20th
that the Commission would study the impacts of Genetically Engineered
corn on native species, as well as carry out a nationwide genetic
testing project of native corn samples for contamination. The Advisory
Group will guide the CEC Secretariat's corn investigation and will
participate in the development of the special report to the CEC’s
Council.
While the CEC’s acceptance to review the case represents an important
institutional step forward to investigate the contamination of native
Mexican corn, the Commission’s recent naming of the Advisory Group for
the corn case marked a serious reversal. Included in the Advisory
Group are several individuals that represent strong interests for the
biotechnology industry creating clear cases of conflict of interest
and rendering them unacceptable members of the Group.
For example, named member to the Group, José Luis Solleiro Rebolledo
is the President of AgroBIO, a biotechnology lobby group that
represents corporations like Monsanto, Dupont, Aventis and Syngenta in
Mexico. Two of AgroBIO’s lobbying efforts focus on eliminating
Mexico’s moratorium on the commercial cultivation of GM crops and
limiting national legislative initiatives on GM product labeling and
Biosafety laws. Other Advisory Group members, like Peter H. Raven and
Luis Rafael Herrera-Estrella, represent strong biotech interests, like
Monsanto and Grupo Pulsar, respectively.
Greenpeace Mexico and Cemda (Mexican Environmental Law Center) have
drafted a letter to the CEC Secretariat to protest the Advisory
Group’s pro-biotech composition, demanding the removal of Group with a
conflict of interest, and replace them with independent scientist with
experience in corn issues.
This letter can be viewed and signed at:
<A href="http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/mexico/biodiversity/actionFax1" target=_blank>http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/mexico/biodiversity/actionFax1</A>
20502. html or in Spanish at: www.laneta.apc.org/biodiversidad
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------- 3) The North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the final blow against Mexican
farmers
January 1, 2003 is a crucial date for the further implementation of
NAFTA regulations. All agriculture products, excluding corn, beans and
powdered milk will be traded amongst member countries (Canada, the US
and Mexico) without tariffs. Mexican farmers, already suffering from
floods of cheap food imports and the elimination farm subsidies, are
protesting this 'next step of implementation' as the final blow
against the Mexican farm. The elimination on all agriculture tariffs
is even more serious in light of the United States’ recent Farm Bill
subsidy program, passed on May 13, to the agricultural sector in the
United States. The Farm Bill, which dolls out subsidies to corporate
agri-business giants like Cargill and ADM as well as small farmers in
the US, places Mexican producers at an unfair disadvantage as they are
forced to compete with US agribusiness. The US Farm Bill has been
strongly attacked as illegal under World Trade Organization laws for
providing protectionist support to US agri-business corporations.
Late last month, President Vicente Fox and Agriculture Minister Javier
Usabiaga have announced an agriculture “armor” subsidy program for
producers in Mexico. Several campesinos organizations have correctly
pointed out that the new series of subsidies were already included in
last year’s budget, and do not represent additional financial support.
On average, Mexican agriculture producers will receive $720 dollars
compared to $20,803 for US producers. For more information, see
article below.
Campesino and other civil society organizations are demanding a
moratorium on the elimination of agriculture tariffs, claiming it will
provoke increased migration and social unrest. In the interim,
campesino organizations are mobilizing their grassroots members,
blocking highways, and lobbying the Mexican Congress.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------- 4) Nature Refuses to
Publish Study of GMOs
La Jornada
Angelica Enciso L. and Andres T. Morales
October 22, 2002
Although Mexican researchers have proven the existence of genetically
modified corn in traditional Oaxacan fields, the scientific magazine
Nature will not publish studies from the INE (National Ecology
Institute). Exequial Ezcurra, president of the INE, explained that
this is because the specialists who analyzed the reports have opposing
viewpoints.
Nearly a year after Mexican investigator Ignacio Chapela revealed for
the first time, in Nature, that genetically modified corn was found in
plantings in Oaxaca’s northern mountains, no progress has been made in
this matter.
The INE hoped that results from the Ecology Center at the National
Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Cinvestav of Irapuato would
be published in Nature. The debate on the matter originated in the
magazinewhich also published analysis critical of Chapela’s discovery.
Ezcurra stated that Nature sent the document to two specialists for
analysis. They rejected it. One considered the result to be “ so
obvious” that it didn’t merit publication in a top journal. The other
concluded that the report was “ so surprising and difficult to
believe” that more information should be gathered before it was
published.
Faced with this situation, Ezcurra says that the technical aspects
that have been questioned will be resolved and that he will try to
publish the findings in another magazine or simply make them known by
placing them on the INE’s website.
He added that the arguments put forward by Nature’s analysts are
ideological, not scientific.
“Since the subject is being so hotly debated, scientific magazines are
looking at it under a microscope. Our data suggests that GMOs are
there.”
Ezcurra mentioned thatthere are many negative aspects to stopping the
export to Mexico of genetically modified corn now being proposed in
some sectors. “ Our food dependence is so great that to cut corn
imports could put us in a serious situation regarding our food
supply.”
(...)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------- 5) NAFTA Equals Death,
Say Peasant Farmers
IPS
Diego Cevallos
December 3, 2002
MEXICO CITY - More than 2,000 peasant farmers from throughout Mexico
staged a protest Tuesday in the capital to demand a freeze on the
agricultural provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA), which they blame for most of their economic and social woes.
But their demands do not appear to have much chance of winning the
desired response from the government.
"I have nothing. I am here out of desperation because I am poorer than
I have ever been," said Francisco Martínez, an elderly farmer who took
part in Tuesday's march in Mexico City, carrying a sign that read
"NAFTA Equals Death".
Under the slogan "the countryside can endure no more", farmers from 24
of Mexico's 32 states marched in Mexico City to the Congress building
to present their demands and later staged protests outside the U.S.
and French embassies.
UNORCA, the national union of some 30 regional peasant groups,
organized the demonstrations with the aim of preventing the
agricultural trade liberalization measures -- agreed under NAFTA,
which comprises Canada, Mexico and the United States -- from taking
effect in January.
The new phase of liberalization entails the complete elimination of
tariffs on 21 farm products, including potatoes, wheat, apples,
onions, coffee, chicken and veal.
The NAFTA mechanism, which UNORCA describes as "toxic to the Mexican
countryside," establishes three steps towards liberalizing the farm
and livestock sector. The first occurred in 1994 when the three-nation
treaty entered into force, the second is slated for January, and the
third in 2008.
In 1993, when NAFTA was still being negotiated, the government of
Carlos Salinas, then president of Mexico (1988-1994), agreed to the
process of a gradual elimination of agricultural tariffs with the
support of the country's leading farm organizations.
Now, nearly a decade later, they are all complaining.
Recognizing the difficulties that Mexican farmers face with the
deepening of trade liberalization, President Vicente Fox announced in
November that the government would provide support for rural producers
to the tune of 10 billion dollars in 2003, or 7.7 percent more aid
than this year.
Fox stated last month that he is very concerned about how the trade
liberalization process is unfolding, "in light of the U.S. subsidies
to its agricultural production."
#############################################################
This message is sent to you because you are subscribed to
the mailing list <<A href="http://us.f411.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=mexiconews@globalexchange.org&YY=29635&order=down&sort=date&pos=0">mexiconews@globalexchange.org</A>>.
To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <<A href="http://us.f411.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=mexiconews-off@globalexchange.org&YY=29635&order=down&sort=date&pos=0">mexiconews-off@globalexchange.org</A>>
To switch to the DIGEST mode, E-mail to
<<A href="http://us.f411.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=mexiconews-digest@globalexchange.org&YY=29635&order=down&sort=date&pos=0">mexiconews-digest@globalexchange.org</A>> To switch to the INDEX mode,
E-mail to <<A href="http://us.f411.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=mexiconews-index@globalexchange.org&YY=29635&order=down&sort=date&pos=0">mexiconews-index@globalexchange.org</A>> Send administrative
queries to <<A href="http://us.f411.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=mexiconews-request@globalexchange.org&YY=29635&order=down&sort=date&pos=0">mexiconews-request@globalexchange.org</A>>
------- End of forwarded message -------</TT></PRE><p><br><hr size=1>Do you Yahoo!?<br>
<a href="http://rd.yahoo.com/mail/mailsig/*http://mailplus.yahoo.com">Yahoo! Mail Plus</a> - Powerful. Affordable. <a href="http://rd.yahoo.com/mail/mailsig/*http://mailplus.yahoo.com">Sign up now</a>