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Notícies :: ecologia |
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70 persones seguen un camp de transgènics a Portugal
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per "Movimento Verde Eufemia" |
18 ago 2007
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El dia 17 d'agost va tenir lloc a la regió portuguesa d'Algarve la primera acció de sega d'un camp de blat de moro transgènic. |
El col.lectiu "Movimento Verde Eufemia" ha reivindicat l'acció de sega d'un camp de blat de moro transgènic -del tipus MON 810, comercialitzat per la multinacional Pioneer- de 50 hectàrees a la localitat de Poço Barreiro al sud de Portugal. Aquest és el primer cultiu transgènic a la regió de l'Algarve, que va ser declarada Zona Lliure de Transgènics l'any 2004 .
L'acció tenia com a objectiu denunciar públicament l'existència d'aquest camp en una regió declarada lliure de trangènics i la problemàtica associada a aquests tipus de cultius, així com evitar la seva proliferació.
L'acció, que va tenir lloc a mig matí del passat divendres, va ser tot un èxit en quant a participació -més de 130 persones portugueses i d'arreu d'Europa-, objectius i repercussió mediàtica, doncs es va aconseguir arrassar mitja hectàrea en 20 minuts tot i la presència i les agressions verbals i físiques per part de treballadors i persones properes al propietari. 3 persones van ser identificades per la policia, la presència de la qual no va impedir que la manifestació de suport, amb grups de samba, teatre i performance, arribés al lloc de l'acció per fusionar-se amb les segadores.
Després de l'acció es van oferir al propietari llavors de panís ecològic per convidar-lo a deixar de plantar transgènics. Aquest, però va manifestar als mitjans que emprendria accions legals.
Durant els dies previs a l'acció es va difondre informació sobre els OMGs al poble i algunes persones locals van manifestar el seu suport el dia de l'acció. |
This work is in the public domain |
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Seguen un camp transgènic a Portugal
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per Seguim Segant |
18 ago 2007
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ACCIÓN DE DESOBEDIENCIA CIVIL CONTRA UN CAMPO TRANSGÉNICO EN ALGARVE
EN PORTUGAL
Hoy 17 de Agosto ha tenido lugar la primera acción de desobediéncia
civil contra un campo transgénico en la región de Algarve, Portugal.
Esta manana 70 personas han destruido media hectárea de un campo de
maÃz transgénico comercial bajo el nombre de Movimento Verde Eufemia.
Se trata del primer campo transgénico, de 50 hectáreas, en la región
de Algarve. Esta región fue declarada libre de trangénicos en el 2004
por las autoridades municipales i regionales con el apoyo de
agricultores, organizaciones ambientalistas i la sociedad civil en
general.
A pesar de que se han presentado algunos individuos, supuestamente
relacionados con el propietario del campo, en actitud muyt violenta y
disparando perdigones al aire, la acción ha sido todo un éxito. En el
momento de abandonar el campo la presencia policial ha sido escasa i
los/las segadores/as han podido mezclarse finalmente con la festiva
manifestación que ha llegado al lugar de la acción con los medios de
comunicación.
Próximamente más información y fotos.
A continuación el comunicado de prensa en inglés:
17th of August 2007
Action of civil disobedience against the first transgenic field in
the GMO Free Zone of the Algarve
On the 17th of august the “Movimento Verde Eufémiaâ€� will go into
action of civil disobedience, aiming at the first transgenic field
in the GMO Free Zone of the Algarve. We will go in the actual
mowing of the crop. Our purpose is to re-establish the democratic,
moral and ecological order, which is constantly undermined by the
policies of the European Comission and the portuguese government.
This year the first GMO field ever has been planted in the Algarve
Region in Portugal. Already years before the planting of his GM
corn there has been strong opposition from civil society against
the cultivation of GMOs in the Algarve. This includes social and
environmental organisations, farmers and a public opinion who is in
general against the cultivation and consumption of GM crops. Also
from the political field opposition was made. As a result the
Algarve was the first GMO free zone in Portugal declared by the
Junta Metropolitana do Algarve already in 2004. On the level of the
municipalities over time motions have been passed rejecting the
cultivation of GM crops on their territory.
The arguments against GMOs are situated on different levels. For
the consumer, the few independent studies that were carried out,
indicate that they can induce allergic reactions, cancer and other
long term negative effects, which have not been studied profoundly
yet. Introducing GM crops in agriculture produces effects that are
irreversible. The modified genes quickly start appearing in other
crops, on other field and in other species, a process which is
impossible to prevent. Besides that the cultivation of transgenic
may induce cumulative effects, since the appearance of weed
resistant to herbicides and insects resistant to insecticides until
the death of organisms that do not form any danger to the
agricultural crops, going along with the appearance of multiple
forms of ecological and instabilities. The major study abut the
effects of transgenic in the environment as published by the
British government in 2003. It came to the conclusion that
cultivating GMOs is a lot worse to wild life than conventional
agriculture. North-American farmers that chose to cultivate GMOs
already understood the disadvantages: higher expenses on seeds,
more consumption of pesticides, closing international (and even
local) markets, products that are less profitable because they are
GMOs. Because of genetic contamination, biological farmers are
forced the emigrate or change profession. Insurance companies are
not willing to secure transgenic cultures because of the high risks
involved. Lloyds, one of the major insurance companies allocated
GMOs in the same financial risk level as acts of terrorism. The use
of GMOs implies that farmers are forbidden to use second generation
seeds produced by their own crop. This is an assertion for the
seed selling companies to continue their business the next year.
Already tens of farmers in the US have already been convicted in
tribunal, having used second generation seeds without authorization.
Despite the strong opposition within layers of civil society and
from local authorities against GMOs the policies of the Portuguese
Government and the European Commission constantly disrespect the
moral and democratic right of those opposing actors to ban GMOs
from their fields and their plates.
For this reason an informal group of peasants, ecologists and
concerned citizens have gathered to take direct action with the aim
to re-establish the democratic, moral and ecological order. The
movement that we are now starting will go under the name “Movimento
Verde Eufémiaâ€�, in homage to the peasant struggle against the
former portuguese fascist regime.
The struggle of Caterina Eufémia and the peasant movement of which
she was part aimed at defending the rights and the well-being of
peasant communities. Our movement will continue this struggle in
the context of new appearing threats, namely the agro-biotechnology
sector and their powerful lobby.
On the 17th of august we will take action of civil disobedience,
mowing the first GM field in the Algarve, located near the city of
Silves with the purpose of keeping the Algarve a GMO free region.
With this action we will exercise the right to resist, according to
the Article 21st of the Portuguese Constitution, in face of the
inaction of the State in the prevention and control of the
(genetic) pollution, as is set by Article 66th.
The mowing will be supported by a parade to provide visibility to
the action and will be with music, theatre and other artistic and
political expressions. While this type of action, involving the
mowing of a GM field, will be happening for the first time in
Portugal, it will certainly not be an isolated case in Europe.
Other groups have been mowing GM fields in several EU countries
already. With this action we will follow their example to safeguard
GMO Free Zones all over Europe.
We would like to state that we intent no harm to the farmer who for
one or another reason chose to cultivate GM crop. Therefore, we
propose the farmer to convert to organic farming. For this we offer
organic corn seed for the area that is now being planted with GM
corn.
We call upon associations within civil society and all concerned
citizens to join this civil disobedience movement by mowing
existing GM crops in the country. We want Portugal free of GMOs!
We invite the press and all interested people to be present at the
meeting point just before the action, which will start at 13h00 in
the village of Poço Barreto, municipality of Silves, in the Algarve.
For more informations, contact: +351 961167077 |
