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Below is an open letter to Mr John Howard, Mr Simon Crean, the Minister for Trade Mr Mark Vaile, Mr Warren Truss Environment Minister, Dr Sue Meek the Gene Technology Regulator, Dr Jim Peacock (CSIRO), Mr Steve Bracks (Vic), Mr Peter Beattie (QLD), Mr Bob Carr (NSW), and Dr Wambugu Monsanto.
There is a mantra sweeping our media, it says, “genetically engineered (GM) crops are to feed a starving world” and “we have been genetically engineering plants for thousands of years”, this is nonsense! We have been selectively breeding plants from within the same species, not crossing plants with animals and not making plants drug dependent. If plants were designed to not need chemicals and to produce heavier crops with no harm to the world, then you could be classed as a Luddite for not looking at this concept.
Imagine yourself in control of a giant chemical company, to be more specific let’s say that this company is called Monsanto/Farmacia or Bayer/Aventis. Your product is chemicals, and you are to make sure that during the term of your management you are to sell as many chemicals as possible. Your company is in the genetic engineering business and tying plants to chemicals is the way to move your product. Most of us would prefer not to have to use too many drugs, so as a manager you must create the impression that you are going to engineer crops that will need less drugs. As a manager of one of the largest multinational drug companies in the world, you are very powerful and with marketing initiatives and money you can ensure people believe anything you want. Let’s be honest, if you could con enough farmers into using your genetically engineered crops with the promise of miracles, then eventually the seeds will grow only with your drugs; and in the end the farmers are left with no choice but to use your drug dependent plants and you and your company will be sitting on a fortune.
You see you have a miracle of nature at your disposal. It is in the form of pollen and the genes contained within that pollen dictate how the plant will grow and what it will need to grow are carried in that pollen. As a company you can patent your product so others cannot reap the benefits. This pollen is patented, which means by law, your company owns any plant that carries their genes. The wind and insects will take care of dispersing your patented genes that are carried in the pollen. You know that if you keep paying enough people, your mantra of ‘feeding a starving world’ will eventually be believed. Does that not sound like a noble cause?
The problem of this scenario is the story behind it. Agronomists of at least twenty years back claimed that Mozambique alone could feed the whole of Africa. But of course, the actions set in motion, from countries outside Mozambique, made sure that the people could not even feed themselves. Any reasonably educated person knows that fortunes are made by the ‘cash crop of the weapons industry’ in Africa. Our leaders of course never talk about that, nor do they talk about the thousands of children as young as 8 years old, that are murdered and brutalised as child soldiers on that continent as well. If these issues were brought to the front pages of the media and eventually solved, then you would find that Africa could produce more than enough food to feed itself and genetically engineered crops would have nothing to do with it. Genetically engineered crops can only increase the suffering. Go to www.snakeshow.net and see what has happened to third world farmers at the hands of giant drug companies in an article called ‘Rice is life’. It’s about chemicals and control of food, nothing to do with feeding a starving world; the truth is just the opposite.
In the Sunday Herald 20th July 03 ‘Science Watch’ heading page 37: ‘GM crops can give Africa food and dignity’. Many genetic engineers are in favour of GM crops because they are building their brand new empire. At the International Congress of Genetics in Melbourne Dr Wambugu spoke in favour of GM crops, she intends to feed a starving Africa with these crops. Dr Wambugu, spoke about Africa’s right to use gene technology for the benefit of its farmers. Let’s be honest. Is it Africa’s right or is it the right of Monsanto for whom she now works? Once this patented pollen is floating across Africa and contaminates farmers’ crops, will they, the farmers have the right to say “No, we did not ask for these patented genes and we don’t want to pay royalties to Monsanto!” Will these farmers have the right to compensation because now their seeds will only grow with chemicals? Without doubt Dr Wambugu wishes the best for the people of her continent, however, does she not at least owe it to her people to ask some honest questions of herself and this tide of blind faith in drug companies. It does not mean that everything that every company does is evil, but please ask yourself, is Monsanto asking her to design plants that will never need their drugs? Is Dr Wambugu talking to them about considering this and does anybody truly believe that they, Monsanto or Bayer would ever do such a thing when they have so many billions of dollars worth of chemicals to sell. Any independent thinker will see that this issue is about selling chemicals. Otherwise they’d be designing plants to grow without chemicals and without patents to “feed a starving world”. For anyone to say that they do not intend to use the hideous Terminator or Traitor genes is a dangerous fool at our children’s expense. The introduction of GM Canola into Australia is the thin end of the wedge for the chemical companies. When it starts with other food, it will be the end to organic crops. The genetic engineers know it, and so does our Prime Minister. Bad luck if you suffer from any food allergies. Even if our farmers did not plant GM crops, Monsanto and Bayer will be protected by the Free Trade Agreement. Monsanto and Bayer will be able to plant whatever they like. The pollen will flow, then our farmers will have no choice. They will contaminate our gene pools and as any biologist will tell you, that is biological fact.
Recently a report on ABC News Radio by Canadian farmers reported that five to six years ago the Canadians were coaxed into Roundup Ready canola. The outcome was to produce heavier crops with less need for weed killer, according to Canadian farmers the results have been just the opposite. The Canadian farmers say that now they need more weed killer than ever before because the weeds have become tolerant to the weed killer and the crops are no heavier at all. This has happened in just five to six years.
Remember we are just starting out with this technology and we are talking about tampering with and altering the genetic heritage for the future of the human race. The damage that these drug companies and their technologists have already done is irreversible. So are those people who are concerned, just ignorant selfish idiots? Or, should we not take a long breath to consider the implications of rushing down this road of no return.
Why did Dr Jim Peacock of the CSIRO who recently addressed the National Press Club say that the Japanese are happy to buy GM crops when he knows that that is just not true. In fact they are always looking for non-GM food. So why did he lie? Do those who blindly praise this technology ever consider the future of what is left of our broadly based gene pools? These gene pools are irreplaceable. And what about the Vavilov centres? Why won’t people like Dr Jim Peacock of CSIRO, Dr Wambugu or Dr Sue Meek the Gene Technology Regulator talk about these concerns? The Vavilov centres are the cradles of almost all of our agricultural crops, there are no more than a dozen of them worldwide and already at least one of them, the cradle of corn/maize in Mexico, has been contaminated with untold consequences. It was said that GM pollen would not contaminate that wild corn. Well it was the genetic engineers that assured the world that the cradle of the world’s corn would be safe when they knew full well that it would not be. Some genetic engineers are still telling lies, and conning journalists and the public the world over. In Australia some person has said that all we need is a 5 metre corridor between crops to stop the pollen flow, this is to be law. Why is Dr Sue Meek misleading us when she says that “she has not approved or received application for a licence to grow GM plants that will only grow with a patented drug”. She knows quite well that this technology already exists and is owned by the likes of Monsanto and also that they intend to use it. In Australia, once the Free Trade Agreement has been signed, then by law we will not be able to stop them. How do we know that? Because The Prime Minister or Mr Mark Vaile, not even Dr Sue Meek who is suppose to be our watchdog is showing any concern about this technology. Why are they not coming out loudly against such an obscenity? Should they not be saying? “Perhaps we could look at some GM crops, but never the Terminator or Traitor gene, or anything drug dependent”. Is that not a fair question to ask? The Terminator and Traitor genes are real and they intend to use them, regardless of what some genetic engineer might tell you; remember the corn in Mexico. This is a form of biological terrorism the likes of which the world has never seen.
Professor George Wald, Emeritus in Biology in Harvard, Nobel Laureate in Medicine said regarding GM crops – “The result will be new organisms, self perpetuating and hence permanent. Once created, they cannot be recalled. There are consequences no one can foretell – the largest ethical problem scientists have ever had to face – our scientific morality up to now has been to go ahead without restriction to learn all we can about nature; restructuring nature was not part of the bargain”. Do the people listed at the top of this story think that Professor Wald is just an ill informed blithering idiot whose concerns about this technology is just nonsense?
To keep talking about food safety is just a red herring because our Prime Minister or his opposition do not want any food labelled, that has been genetically tampered with. The PM has already said as much and his opposition is remaining silent. It is strange though, because all other additives must be listed, but foreign proteins do not, so it’s just bad luck for those who have an allergy to crayfish that has been genetically added to a potato.
There could be wonders with genetic engineering and a sensible path for Australia. However, we now have the chance to become a seed bank for the world and the only continent with organic food and our markets would last forever. When our crops are contaminated we will have nowhere else to go to but the drug dealers. Who is saying that we must rush headlong into this? The genetic bridges that have been passed down to us for centuries will then be burned forever. Can anybody stand up and say that this is a sensible legacy to leave our children?
Why does Dr Sue Meek the Gene Technology Regulator say that this technology poses no threat to the biota of our environment? Why will she not discuss openly every biologist’s concerns about the Vavilov centres, our broadly based gene pools and the Terminator and Traitor genes? Politicians can’t escape responsibility by saying, “I’m not an expert so I rely on genetic engineers”. Genetic engineers are like glorified mechanics that build fascinating and fast engines. They must study biology but most are not biologists, biology to them is a means to an end. The best paying jobs for them is with gene tech chemical companies. Asking a genetic engineer to care for our gene pools and Vavilov centres is like asking a fox to look after our chooks. They are driven to tamper with our gene pools, that is what they are paid to do; morality or ethics have nothing to do with it.
Please don’t burn our children’s genetic bridges because this is a road of no return.