Statement of Solidarity with Southern African Nations Over GM Food and Crops

August 27, 2002

Delegates to the World Summit on Sustainable Development,

We the undersigned, as representatives or advocates of the people of the Global South, hereby declare our condemnation of the coercive techniques being used by the United States of America to force the nations and people of the South to accept genetically modified food in food aid shipments.

We condemn the United States' use of Food Aid as a tool of propaganda to force acceptance of GM food and crops by Southern nations on the eve of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). Peasant farmers and indigenous peoples in many Southern nations are opposing GM crops and condemning GM contamination of their land whilst the recipients of food aid are protesting the dumping of GM food that have not undergone independent safety testing.

We decry the bio-imperialism of dumping food aid in Africa, the endangerment of food sovereignty and security and the deviation from principles of self-determination*. It further subsidizes the US farm system, provides a handy market for dumping grain not wanted elsewhere and is a thinly disguised attempt to pollute the sub continent's grain stocks with patented genetically modified varieties.

We support the governments of Zambia and Mozambique for protesting about the inclusion of genetically modified shipments of maize in food aid. The United States' Department of State is clearly using emergency food aid shipments for starving people in southern Africa as a political tool to force acceptance of genetically modified foods. This exploitative policy makes it clear that the United States is not interested in staving off famine. The United States is forcing the people of southern African nations to accept genetically modified food aid or risk widespread starvation, and has been unwilling to listen to the legitimate concerns.

Genetically modified crops, such as GM coffee and Bt cotton - and the corporations that market them - will only exacerbate rural unemployment and social and economic inequalities, and spur further environmental degradation.

We encourage governments and people around the world to initiate a boycott of genetically modified food products from the United States to demonstrate support not only for southern African nations who are being used as political pawns in a dire situation, but to show support for all the countries of the world that have been threatened with trade sanctions by the United States for regulating or labeling genetically modified foods.

Finally, we urge governments of the world to reject the inclusion of any language in the WSSD declaration that presumes genetically modified foods will be a solution to world hunger.

* NEPAD, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development states in one of its objectives that "They (developed countries) have set up increasingly hostile operational mechanisms in the world economy, thus contributing to Africa's further exclusion."

Anuradha Mittal and Peter Rosset, Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy, United States

Devinder Sharma, Forum for Biotechnology & Food Security, India

P V Satheesh, Deccan Development Society, India

Robert Vint, Genetic Food Alert, United Kingdom

Neil Sorensen, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, United States

Argentina

Acción por la Biodiversidad, Carlos A. Vicente

Australia

Australian Greens, Deb Foskey, Secretary

Frances Murrell, Citizen

GE Free Bathurst, Michael Dickson

Local Artisans Alliance for Sustainability, Glenda Lindsay

Mr. Paul Harris, Faculty of Sciences, The University of Adelaide

National Herbalists Association of Australia, Western Australian Chapter, Eloise Charleson

South Australian Genetic Food Information Network

Austria

Center for Encounters and Active Nonviolence, Matthias Reichl

Declaration of Salzburg for Development in Solidarity, Ilse and Julius Hanak

Bangladesh

BanglaPraxis, Zakir Kibria

Lokoj-Bangladesh, Arup Rahee, Executive Director

Rights Implementation for Social Emancipation (RISE), Ahsanul Haq Khan, General Secretary

Belgium

International Coalition for Development Action(ICDA), Janice Goodson Foerde, Chairperson

Véronique Chuffart, Enghien

Vredeseilanden, Ivan Godfroid and Michel Beankens

Brazil

AS-PTA (Assessoria e Serviços a Projetos em Agricultura Alternativa)

Cameroon

Agir International, Siège Abidjan

Dialogues pour l'action en vue du developpement et de l'integration sociale (DIALOGUES), Chistine Andela

Shumas Cameroon, Ndzerem Stephen

Canada

Conserve Africa Foundation, John Carrick Greene

ETC Group, Hope Shand

Grace Bavington

Gillian Kirkland

Jocelyne Néron, Montréal

Tropical Conservancy, Stephen Aitken, International Coordinator

Women for a Just and Healthy Planet, Toronto

China

Green Association for Environmental Action, Yang Yang

Costa Rica

COECOCeiba -Friends of the Earth Costa Rica, Isaac Rojas

France

Jean-Luc Simon, Président du GFPH, Vice Président de la Région Europe de l'OMPH, Membre du Conseil Mondial de l'OMPH

Michel Cambornac

OGM dangers

Pascal Bergeret, Agricultural Economist

SOLIDARITE, Jacques Berthelot

Germany

Action for Natural Medicine (ANAMED), Dr Keith Lindsey

A. Weiser

ECOTERRA International, Hans-Jürgen Duwe

Dr. Anita Idel, Veterinarian

Ghana

African Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (AFWE), Mrs. Lucia Quachey, Secretary General

India

Madhumita Dutta, Anti-Toxics Activits

Mr Madhusudhan, Yakshi, Hyderabad

Quiet Healing Centre, Nandita Shah

Mr Pandu Dora, Andhra Pradesh Adivasi Aikya vedika

People's action in development{PAID}, K. Nageswar Reddy, President

Sachetan, Ira Roy (Ms), Secretary

Dr. Sagari R Ramdas, Anthra, Hyderabad

Tamil Nadu Women's Forum

Women's Centre, Bombay, Ammu Abraham

Indonesia

KONPHALINDO (National Consortium for Nature and Forest Conservation)

Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Indonesia, Riza VT

Italy

Comitato Scientifico Antivivisezionista (CSA)

Japan

Consumers Union of Japan

Mr. Fall Ousmane, Ph.D Candidate, Tokyo Metropolitan University

Kenya

African Conservation Centre, Eluid Wanakuta

Christians For a Just Society

Wangari Mwangi, Peace and Development Resource Person, Nairobi

Liberia

Pollution Control Association of Liberia, Henry O. Williams, Executive Director

Madagascar

Institut Malgache de Recherches Appliquees, Rasoanaivo Philippe

Malawi

Permaculture Network, June Walker

Permaculture Nutrition Project, Stacia Nordin, RD

Malaysia

Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP), Sarojeni Rengam, Executive Director

Southeast Asian Council for Food Security and Fair Trade (SEA Council), Indrani Thuraisingham

Mexico

CEPACOM, A.C.

Global Exchange Chiapas, Ryan Zinn

Red Mexicana de Accion frente al Libre Comercio (RMALC), Alejandro Villamar

Taller Universitario de Derechos Humanos A. C., Bernardo Sánchez Laguna, Coordinador General

Morocco

GERERE (Groupe d'Etudes et de Recherche sur les Energies Renouvelables et l'Environnement), Faouzi Senhaji, President

Nepal

Lazimpat, Kathmandu

Rural Reconstruction Nepal (RRN), Sarba Raj Khadka, Executive Director

SEWA, Sunil Manandhar

Netherlands

A SEED Europe, Frank van Schaik

Both ENDS, Environment and Development Service for NGOs, Margriet Zoethout

Jan van Butselaar

XminusY Solidarityfunds, Wytze de Lange

New Zealand

Bev Trowbridge, Auckland

Enterprise Russell

Fair NZ

GE Free New Zealand in Food and Environment

GE Free Northland in Food & Environment, Zee Vallings

Groundswell Canterbury

Nelson and GE Aware Nelson

Karen Culpeper, Auckland

Shushila Ajani, Whangarei

Sue Kedgley MP, Green Party Spokesperson for Health, Safe Food, Animal Welfare, Broadcasting and Women's Affairs

Nicaragua

Grupos Hijas del Maiz

International Peoples Health Council (IPHC ), Maria Hamlin Zuniga, Global Coordinator

Regional Committee for the Promotion of Community Health

Norway

African Information Service Center, Dele Olawole

Dr. Stephen Barstow

Pakistan

The Network for Consumer Protection , Tahir Hasnain, Project Coordinator

Sustainable Development Policy Institute, Islamabad, Dr. Abid Qaiyum Suleri

Peru

Asociacion Quechua-Ayamara ANDES (IPBN), Alejandro Argumedo

Philippines

Ecological Society of the Philippines, Javier M. Claparols, Director

Pesticide Action Network Philippines, Romeo F. Quijano, M.D., President

Southeast Asia Regional Initiative for Community Empowerment (SEARICE), Elenita C. Daño, Executive Director

Poland

AGRO BIO TEST, Organic Certification Body, Ursula Soltysiak. Ph.D.

South Africa

Benjamin Cousins

Bev Stacey

Deborah Lesurf

Earth Products, Har Bhajan S. Khalsa

Julian, Wilropark

Kizito Nsanzya, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg

Mandi Kraft, Wilropark

Organic World Import & Export

PERMACORE: The Permaculture Foundation of the Western Cape, Lisa Kriel, Chair

The Safe Food Coalition, Andrew Taynton

South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering, Gillian Kerchhoff, National Coordinator

Spain

Amigos de la Tierra Spain (Friends of the Earth Spain), Liliane Spendeler, Coordinadora del Area de Biotecnología

Switzerland

Erklärung von Bern - Berne Declaration

Tanzania

Aang Serian, Gemma Burford & Lesikar Ole Ngila

Foundation HELP, Benedict Chacha Peter

Mapambazuko Training Center, Dr. Eamonn Brehony

Thailand

Focus on the Global South, Shalmali Guttal and Chanida Chanyapate Bamford

The ThaiCraft Association

Uganda

Consumer Education Trust (CONSENT), Kimera Henry Richard, CEO

Doreen Lwanga, Human Rights & Policy Activist

Dr. Venansius Baryamureeba, Director Institute of Computer Science at

Makerere University

Youth Development Africa (YDA), Maria Nakimera, Coordinator

United Kingdom

Africa Local Development Union, Ernest RUKANGIRA

Anti-Globalisation Network, Chris Keene

Architects and Engineers for Social Responsibility (AESR), Kate Macintosh, Chairperson

Audrey Miller, Birmingham

Burnhams Group, Caroline Clarke, Coordinator

Cathy Lesurf

Chrissie Wildwood, freelance health writer for C.W. Daniel Publishing

Coresys Consult, Ambrose Mann

D. Mcfarlane, Newport on Tay

David Smart-Knight, Cornwall

Future in Our Hands, Michael Thomas

The Gaia Trust, Kate O'Connell

Genetically Modified Food-News, Marcus Williamson, Editor

Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG), Patrick Mulvany, Food Security Policy Adviser

International Society for Ecology and Culture, Dr. Christian Taylor

Islamic Foundation for Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Fazlun Khalid, Director

Pesticide Action Network UK, Barbara Dinham

Rachel Smart-Knight, Cornwall

Robert Biel, Senior Lecturer in Development Studies, University College, London

Scarborough Against Genetic Engineering

SMILE Tribe

Soil Association, Organic Certification Agency, Joy Carey

South Dorset Friends of the Earth, Helen Ellery

Taunton Friends of the Earth, Biddy Garstang.

The Sustainable Trust, Pip Richards

Swindon Friends of the Earth, Jean Saunders

Weeley against Genetic Exploitation, Mrs L.E. Priest

Wessex Organic Movement

United States

49th Parallel Biotechnology Consortium, Phil Bereano, Co-Director

Anarchist Action of Rochester

Border Ecology Project, Richard Kamp

Clean Water Action

Community Nutrition Institute, Rod Leonard

Earthcraft Farm, Signe Waller and Jim Rose

Food Matters, Chris Dilley

François Coutu, New York

Global Renaissance, Jerry A. Moles

Greater Kansas City Fair Trade Coalition, Clem Wittman, President

Heather McMillen, Graduate Student, University of Hawaii

Human Rights Project, Jesse Moorman, Attorney

Institute for Social Ecology, Brian Tokar

Jerold Hubbard, Johnson, Kansas

Kathleen McAfee, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University

Kirsten Morel

Julie Klassen, Northfield Minnesota

Laura Middlebrooks, M.A.

Mangrove Action Project, Alfredo Quarto, Executive Director

Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Kathleen McNeely

Miguel A Altieri, Professor, University of California, Berkeley

Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Derrick Braaten

Mothers for Natural Law, Laura Ticciati, Executive Director

North Carolina Citizens for Safe Food, Mark Huebner

Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition, Vivian Stockman

Organic Consumers Association, Ronnie Cummins

People-Centered Development Forum, David Korten

Pesticide Action Network North America, Monica Moore, Co-Director

Rochester Food Not Bombs

Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI), Michael Sligh

Sacred Earth, Educational Forum and Networking Resource for Ethnobotany and Eco-travel, Kat Morgenstern

Sada Ceesay, CNE,MCSE,CCNA, New York

Shane Prigge, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Sister Barbara Celeskey, S.J.

The Synergos Institute, Andrea J. Rogers

United Church of Christ Network for Environmental and Economic Responsibility, Rev. Douglas B. Hunt, PhD

Virginia Hamill, Ahawnee Mission

Volker Bahn, Dept. of Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine

Washington Biotechnology Action Council, Phil Bereano, Vice-President

Yugoslavia

Green Network of Vojvodina, Olivera Radovanovic

Postovani Prijatelji, Branislav Marinkov

Snezana Kresoja, Futog