Hello,
As you know, the government has given up on submitting the GMO law aimed at transposing Directive 2001-18 to the National Assembly. It is indeed difficult to launch a few weeks before the elections in a fight so unpopular in public opinion (86% of French people hostile to GMOs).
But what it does not want to submit to public debate, the government is preparing to impose it in the coming days by decree, to respond in part to the orders of the European Commission.
The content of these decrees is not yet known in detail, but they will be even more lax and favorable to GMOs than the law passed by the Senate in March: total civil and financial irresponsibility of seed companies in the event of dissemination, and minimal info populations)
The transgeniculturalists, (who always want more!) Have started a lobbying campaign so that the location of cultivated plots is not entered in the register (see attached letter from Monsanto).
It is therefore urgent to react, both to denounce this passage in force, and to counter the Monsanto offensive.
Two complementary actions can be used as quickly as possible:
-to make known as widely as possible and in particular to the press, the government's project which aims to deprive Parliament of the debate on GMOs (and thus makes it possible to avoid candidates for legislative elections from having to vote)
- share your views with the recipients of the Monsanto lobby action.
Below is a sample letter to personalize and send to Monsanto recipients (list below).
Dominique plancke
(message to circulate without limitation)
Protest Mail Template
Subject: Rejection of the petitioners' request to contravene the provisions of the GMO crop register
Madame, Monsieur,
I have just read the petition "Total transparency: attention danger" initiated by "a group of farmers" and the Monsanto firm intended to draw your attention to the dangers of the publication of the names of farmers and their exact addresses and of the location of their plots as required by the GMO Crop Register.
According to Monsanto's February 2007 newsletter No. 13, titled "Monsanto, from you to me," "the government plans to issue decrees promptly specifying the conditions for the use of genetically modified crops, particularly Bt corn. resistant to corn borer ".
Let me be indignant in the first place that such a decision can be taken by decree in the absence of any democratic debate: this decision is contrary to the refusal of 86% (last poll) of French people to see genetically modified crops develop in our country. It is completely unacceptable that decrees come to make these cultures possible for a handful of farmers, against the majority opinion of the population which will suffer the prejudice of the dissemination. Contrary to what ARVALIS claims, this dissemination by Bt corn pollen is indeed proven according to studies by various scientists.
These farmers recognize that this publication "could lead to violence and destruction of crops." They are therefore well aware of the fact that their will to cultivate GMOs is opposed to that of the population. To extort this right to pollute the environment with impunity and confidentiality, they do not hesitate to designate this opposition as the sole fact of "anti-GMO extremists".
Madam, Sir, I ask you the question: "Who are the extremists?" Those who try by their actions to protect the farms of farmers who have not made the choice of GMOs and wish to keep their conventional or organic production free of traces of GMOs, or those who aggressively IMPOSE GMOs? Because we are not talking here of inert production but of living production capable of reproducing itself and there are no means (except imaginary on paper) to protect ourselves from contamination. It is therefore indeed one of the most violent attacks, to which anti-GMO activists respond with the means at their disposal after having exhausted all possible administrative remedies.
It is therefore a conflict characterized between the general interest - that of biodiversity, non-GMO producers, consumers - and the commercial private interest of a few farmers. I remind you that French law gives precedence to the general interest over the private interest and that the Environmental Charter backed by the Constitution stipulates in article 2 that "everyone has the right and the duty to take part in the preservation and improvement of the environment ". The Orléans criminal court has also drawn the consequences of this new legal duty by relaxing the reapers at first instance.
I also remind you that the spread of GMOs around the world gives rise to very serious economic crises: more than 300 complaints have been lodged by American rice farmers following the pollution of their rice by the unauthorized GM variety Ll601 from Bayer (even if a retroactive authorization has been granted, consumers do not want it), the price of rice has dropped by 15% causing major distress in the sector. The petitioners only defend their short-term commercial interest (for sales that only Spain agrees to buy from them) without realizing that they are initiating for themselves and for other farmers major crises in the medium and long term.
All the relativizing discourses claiming that it is possible to establish a rational coexistence between GM cultures and non-GM cultures are constantly contradicted by the facts.
Also if you were to accede to the explicit request of the petitioners to conceal their names and addresses and the location of their plots, so as not to be exposed to the fair defense of the general interest, Madam or Sir, I will hold you personally responsible for a serious violation of my right to be informed and in the general interest and I will take all the necessary steps to ensure that you are accountable for this decision.
I am nevertheless convinced that you are committed to the preservation of the general interest and will not subscribe to the scandalous approach of the petitioners, so preoccupied with defending their commercial interests that they do not realize that they are compromising their own activity, biodiversity, the activity of their colleagues and to achieve the consumer's legitimate right to access food free from GMOs.
Please accept Madam or Sir the expression of my sincere greetings.
Alain Lipietz
European deputy
http://lipietz.net
In Brussels :
phone 00 32 2 284 72 07
fax 00 32 2 284 92 07
If the address alain@lipietz.net don't work try lipietz@club-internet.fr
There is a mention of a list of recipients of Monsanto that I do not have, but it seems to me more judicious to send that to our deputies. See what cyberactors and the MDRGF plan to do or see directly with Lipietz.
