meetings and convergence happening around Europe and beyond. Info is
forwarded to our network e-list and to network partners and contacts.
Please send us info
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. on GMOs
EYFA's summer was busy, with time spent in Portugal implementing
projects, like the annual gathering Ecotopia and also an exchange about
Migration. At the same time in Portugal, a campaign against Genetically
Modified Organisms (GMOs) brought this issue into the forefront of
Portuguese public and political debate. So we thought it would be a good
moment to focus our newsletter on the issue of GMOs. We hope this
highlights the campaigns and initiatives gaining momentum around Europe,
which attempt to educate about the dangerous development and use of GMO
agricultural models.
Read on, and please support these campaigns and struggles and spread the
information through your networks.
eyfa office
**Contents
1. Do you live in a GMO-free zone?
2. Defending a GMO-free zone in Portugal
3. La Soja Mata - Soy Kills
4. FOE's European Anti-GMO Campaign
5. “Say no to genetic engineering” Greenpeace's campaign
6. GM Watch .org
7. Links to campaigns in Europe
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1. Do you live in a GMO free zone?
What is a GMO? A GMO is a “genetically modified organism” (also called
“genetically engineered”): a plant, animal, or microorganism whose
genetic code has been altered, subtracted, or added (either from the
same species or a different species) in order to give it characteristics
that it does not have naturally. For example, genes from a fish have
been placed in strawberries and tomatoes.
GMOs have negatively affected biodiversity, the environment, farmers and
consumers around the world, while multinational companies such as
Cargill and Monsanto who created and patented GMOs gained more economic
and political power through the introduction of GMOs into our food
systems and the environment. A number of campaigns have been raising
awareness about the social and environmental injustice caused by GMOs.
These campaigns are also trying to stop further expansion of GMOs.
And maybe there is something you can do to help. Have a look at the list
of anti-GMO campaigns at the end of this newsletter. But first check if
you live in a GMO-free zone – have a look at
www.gmo-free-europe.org
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2. Defending a GMO-free zone in Portugal
On 17th of August 2007, “Movimento Verde Eufémia” did a direct action
against the first GM-corn field in the GMO-free Zone of the Algarve [see
http://genet.iskra.net/en/portugal ] The action was publicly announced
and cameras were waiting. In the action less than 1 hectare of GM corn
was symbolically mowed by a group of activists. [ more about the action
on indymedia:
www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/08/379708.html
The action was first of this kind in Portugal and it provoked a
discussion on presence of GMOs in Portugal and put the spotlight on GMO
related issues. There was also quite a lot of media spin (as expected)
from mainstream media, and varying political disapproval by current
government and other political parties. Movimento Verde Eufémia is under
a lot of pressure and legal intimidation, and calls out for a support
and the creation of international solidarity network. If you are active
in GMO campaigning or know groups who are, or would simply like to help,
please contact verde.eufemia@hush.com
Visit their website http://eufemia.ecobytes.net
or for those who do not speak Portuguese, please see
http://eufemia.ecobytes.net/category/english/
and have a look at anti-GMO in Portugal www.stopogm.net
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3. About La Soja Mata - Soy Kills
There is a campaign and website, "La Soja Mata" or "Soy Kills", which
provides information about the direct impacts of large scale
monocultures, specifically GM-soy, on people's lives and the
environment. La Soja Mata aims to support campaigns against such
dangerous monocultures and the soy model, which rely heavily on
"RoundupRead" or GMO crops. La Soja Mata makes information about these
issues and international campaigns accessible.
The public in 'consumer countries' have by now been extensively informed
that the advance of soy plantations causes massive destruction of
ecosystems, such as rainforests and savannahs, in countries like
Argentina and Brazil. However, the scale and speed with which land is
taken over by the production of these crops, driven by a growing demand,
is making many more victims: local communities are driven out, farmers
loose their crops because of intensive use of the herbicide Roundup on
RoundupReady (GMO) soy, and this also causes health problems on a scale
that many do not realise. In addition, soils degrade and water levels go
down, deforestation changes regional climate patterns. Soy plantations
do not generate jobs, so there is a continuous flow of people migrating
to the city slums or abroad. If people disappear, so does the market for
many other small scale economic activities. Small scale agriculture
harbours both agricultural and natural biodiversity - moncultures don't.
Resistance in producer countries is growing. La Soja Mata provides
information in English, and hopefully other languages, about campaigns
carried by farmers, landless people, rural and urban communities,
against the take over of their surroundings by (RoundupReady - GMO) soy
plantations.
www.lasojamata.org
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4. Friends of the Earth - European GMO Campaign and Biotechnology Programme
Friends of the Earth's European GMO Campaign is working to safeguard
GMO-free agriculture and to ensure that European citizens have the right
to choose GMO-free food. To achieve this, Friends of the Earth's
national groups across Europe are working together to:
* actively lobby at EU and national level to strengthen GMO legislation;
* promote the creation of GMO free zones;
* increase public awareness and participation in decision-making about
GMOs, and help ensure that consumers can exercise their right to choose
about GM crops and food;
* research information and propose policy solutions.
The Friends of the Earth Europe website has many links to new
developments with European legislation about GMOs, new publications and
links to press releases and actions.
www.foeeurope.org/GMOs/Index.htm
See also www.tomatotour.org
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5. Say no to genetic engineering
”Say no to genetic engineering” is a campaign against GMOs by
Greenpeace. Have a look at their webpage, which provides examples and
gives a background information on issues related to GM contamination and
other threats:
www.greenpeace.org/international/campaigns/genetic-engineering
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6. GM Watch
www.gmwatch.org
A website with information and news on GMO related issues around the
world. To stay updated subscribe to gmwatch's newsletter
www.gmwatch.org/sub.asp
[Another useful site is www.gmo-compass.org]
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7. Links to anti-GM campaigns and activities in Europe:
[sends us more links!]
BULGARIA:
www.zazemiata.org/gmo
CROATIA:
www.zelena-akcija.hr/ge
DENMARK:
www.toft.dk/gendebat
www.noah.dk/gentek/gtforside.html
FINLAND:
www.bioturva.org
www.gmovapaa.fi
FRANCE:
www.infogm.org
www.confederationpaysanne.fr
GERMANY:
www.biopiraterie.de
www.gen-ethisches-netzwerk.de
ICELAND:
www.erfdabreytt.net
ITALY:
www.rfb.it
MACEDONIA:
www.ekosvest.com.mk
PORTUGAL:
www.stopogm.net
POLAND:
www.icppc.pl
ROMANIA:
http://omg.ngo.ro
www.greenpeace.ro
SPAIN:
www.transgenicsfora.org
SWEDEN:
www.gmofri.se
THE NETHERLANDS:
http://www.aseed.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=176&Itemid=162
UK:
www.geneticsaction.org.uk
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Published electronically by EYFA.
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