WEEKLY WATCH number 151 (18/11/2005) | |
from Claire Robinson, WEEKLY WATCH editor Dear all: There's more good news news this week from Poland. The new Prime Minister has pledged in parliament to keep the country GM-free (EUROPE). We have some interesting research reports (NEW RESEARCH). One shows that mice developed lung inflammation after being fed GM peas. Predictably, this study has been spun by the CSIRO scientists who conducted it as proving that the safety checks work. But in fact, all it shows is that this particular type of effect was obvious enough and rapid enough to show up in short and cursory experiments. Another study shows that the industry has consistently lied about the safety of its CaMV promoter, used in most GM crops. And in THE OTHER TERRORISTS, New Scientist reveals that terrorists can easily order bioweapons over the internet. New Scientist also points out that America's laxly regulated food supply is wide open to any kind of GM product, no matter how suspect! (THE AMERICAS) Sadly, Jose Bove and a French Member of the European Parliament were both jailed this week for uprooting GM crops in what seems a pattern of repression in France (EUROPE). But it's good to see the Indian government, which has engaged in willful blindness regarding the catastrophe caused by Bt cotton, finally doing something to help its hard-pressed farmers. It has banned Terminator technology and protected farmers' rights to save seeds, in spite of intensive lobbying from industry (ASIA). Claire [email protected] EUROPE ------------------------------------------------------------ + POLAND'S PRIME MINISTER PLEDGES TO KEEP COUNTRY GM-FREE All but 2 of Poland's regions had already declared themselves GM-free zones and more than three quarters of Polish consumers have said they don't want to eat any food containing GM ingredients. The news follows an earlier study by Russia's largest public opinion research body, showing that 95 per cent of Russians were either opposed to GM ingredients or seriously concerned by them. Jose Bove of the Confédération Paysanne was sentenced to four months in prison. A Green Party lawmaker and a French member of the European Parliament, both received three-month sentences. Before assuming his current post in 2004, Dr McSweeney was CEO of the EU Joint Research Centre. While head of that organisation, McSweeney attempted to suppress the publication of the EC's official "Scenarios for Co-existence" report on the feasibility of introducing GM crops in EU member states. The study concludes that GM crops inevitably contaminate conventional and organic crops and may cause 40% higher production costs for EU farmers. It states that all farmers would face high additional, in some cases unsustainable costs of production if GM crops were commercially grown in a large scale in Europe. Mr McSweeney wrote to the EC recommending that the report should not be made public, stating, "given the sensitivity of the issue, I would suggest that the report be kept for internal use within the Commission only." + KENYA FREE TO ADOPT OR REJECT GMOs, CLAIMS U.S. EMBASSY Both Wambugu and the US embassy are presenting the i |