The
Hague, 23 April, 2002 – Mexican indigenous communities,
supported by Greenpeace and local environmental organisations,
announced their intention today to appeal to the Commission
for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) under the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The groups are
demanding an immediate assessment of the damage caused
by the contamination from genetically engineered (GE)
maize in the centre of origin and diversity of maize,
which was discovered over six months ago.
The
CEC should review the impact of the genetic contamination
on maize and ecosystem biodiversity, explain how the
indigenous varieties have been contaminated with genes
of GE varieties, and include recommendations to avoid
the further spread of contamination.
A positive
decision from the CEC would push both the Mexican and
the US Governments to take the action that is long overdue
to seal off the source of the genetic pollution and
to find a solution to the current situation in the provinces
of Oaxaca. Over 300 local and wild maize varieties are
in jeopardy due to contamination that most likely has
originated from US imported GE maize. The appeal will
be formally issued on Wednesday, 24th April.
Miguel Ramírez
Domínguez, President of the Communal Property
Commissariat of Capulalpan de Méndez, Ixtlán,
Oaxaca, one of the communities affected by the contamination,
said: “We call for a thorough investigation about the
consequences of the presence of genetic contamination
in the indigenous maize varieties and effective remedial
measures. The investigation should be managed by an
independent and credible organisation, such the Commission
for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) of NAFTA. This pollution
not only affects Mexico but puts the world’s food security
at risk since farmers around the world rely on these
genetic resources to create new varieties, which adapt
to changing environmental conditions.”
In
September, the Mexican Government confirmed that indigenous
Mexican maize varieties in 15 out of 22 communities
tested in the states of Oaxaca and Puebla are affected
by genetic pollution of GE traits. The latest information
from a government source indicates even higher levels
of contamination than originally feared - up to 20-60
percent in four communities tested. This is the first
case of genetic contamination of a centre of origin
and diversity for one of the world’s most important
food crops.
Because
of the high risk GE maize poses to local varieties and
wild relatives, Mexico prohibited field trials and commercial
planting in 1998. However, each year approximately 6
million tonnes of maize to be used for food and animal
feed are still imported from the United States, at least
25 percent of which is GE.
The UN Biosafety
Protocol recognises the crucial importance of the centres
of diversity to humankind but the Protocol is still
ineffective as the ratification process has been at
standstill for two years halting real progress in implementation.
Greenpeace urges the world governments to ratify and
implement the Biosafety Protocol. There is an urgent
need to agree on preventative measures to avoid further
outbreaks of contamination in the other centres of diversity
by banning all imports and releases of GE crops into
these areas. Governments must also enforce the demand
to remedy the current situation in Mexico and hold the
contaminators responsible.
Further
reading:
Background
information:
