[asia-apec 1424] Sri Lanka's Banning of Genetically Modified Food Imports

[PAN Asia Pacific]

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URGENT Message from Jennifer at PAN AP!  Time for a Positive Action!

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Dear Friends,

Warm greetings from PAN AP!  I am writing with some exciting news
and an appeal for support.  We just received the incredible news
that the government of Sri Lanka has decided to BAN the import of
GM products with immediate effect. 

Our close partner in Sri Lanka, from the Community Education Centre
(CEC) has  endorsed our plan to write letters of support to the
President of Sri Lanka on the BAN, and to encourage them to
continue the ban and to even to go GE free!!!! 

A big part of this outcome was a result of the numerous inputs by
the local NGOs in Sri Lanka like CEC, and especially the Organic
groups linked to Ranjit De Silva, the Peoples Plan (PP) 21 group
etc. who strongly and ceaselessly made petitions to the government
on the GE issue.  So congratulations to our friends in Sri
Lanka!!!! 

As you will notice, we have written the letter in a way to give the
Sri Lankan government as much support as possible - **hence the bit
about working with them, and the slightly flowery language! 

Please find below the letter we sent to the President, do use it and
innovate on it or change it as you see fit to write your own letter.
PLEASE do take a little time to write your own letter and send it to
the President's office, we would sincerely recommend that the letter
be cc-ed to the Minister of Health. Here are the numbers:

Office of Her Excellency, The President, Republic of Sri Lanka:  
Fax: +941 333 703
Tel: +941 324 801/2/3/4

PLEASE also cc this letter to office of the Minister of  Health,
Fax:  +941 694 227  


We have also attached below the news report from Reuters on this
(after the sample letter). 

Thanks in Advance for your support and action!  
Here's to a GE Free World!
Jenn

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Her Excellency
The President
Republic of Sri Lanka
President's Office, Colombo
Sri Lanka

11 April, 2000

Your Excellency,

RE:  Sri Lanka's Banning of Genetically Modified Food Imports

We were very encouraged to learn of your government's decision to
ban the importation of genetically modified food products. We
applaud your government's courageous action in applying this ban
with immediate effect. 

We believe that the government's food advisory committee's position,
of wanting to avoid health risks associated with genetic
modification, is the first and most far reaching model of
precautionary measures taken by any country in the Asia Pacific
region. 

We would like you to know that millions of farmers, consumers and
people's organizations working for safe food around the world,
fully support the government's import ban. 

With the dawn of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year on April 13, 2000,
we commend the Sri Lankan's governments' visionary initiative to
protect its people's health and well being.   We would like to
encourage you to continue with this position as we feel that the
potential human health and environmental threats from genetically
engineered (GE) foods should be taken very seriously. 
  
We pledge our support to this ban, and would like to work with your
government for a "GE Free" Sri Lanka!  We will also work with our
own governments to gain their support for your governments'
decision. 

Yours Sincerely, 
Ms. Sarojeni V. Rengam 
Executive Director
Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia and the Pacific


On behalf of the Members of the PAN Asia and the Pacific, Women in
Agriculture Task Force. 

Ms. Farida Akhter, U B I N I G, 5/3 Barabo Mahanpur, Ring Road,
Shaymoli, Dhaka-1207, BANGLADESH 

Ms. Mika Iba, NESSFE, 3-23-15, Matsubara, Setgaya-Ku, Tokyo
156-0043, JAPAN 

Ms. Kim Jai Ok, CACPK, 603 Pierson Building, 89 Sinmun-Ro 2Ga,
Chongro-Ku, Seoul 110-062, KOREA. 

Ms. Irene Fernandez, Tenaganita, Wisma Yakin, Jalan Masjid India,
Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, MALAYSIA 

Ms. Anita Fernando, CEC, 117 Talahena, Malabe, SRI LANKA

Ms. Burnad Fatima, SRED, Kallaru, Perumuchi Post, Arrakonam, Tamil
Nadu, INDIA 

Ms. Nasira Habib, KHOJ Research and Publication Centre, W 53,
Doctors Colony, Dhokar Niaz Beg, Lahore, PAKISTAN 

Ms. Ravadee Prasertcharoensuk, NGO Coordinating Committee on
Development, c/o RRAFA, 67 Sukomvit  55, Sukomvit Road, Bangkok
10110, THAILAND 

Ms. Meriel Watts, Soil and Health Association of New Zealand, P.O.
Box: 46076, Herne Bay, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND 

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SRI LANKA BANS IMPORT OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD

COLOMBO, April 10 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka has banned imports of all
genetically modified (GM) foods with immediate effect, a senior health
minstry official said on Monday.

"The government wants to wait until the controversy surrounding GM
foods has cleared,'' S. Nagiah, chief food inspector of the health
ministry, told Reuters by telephone.

Nagiah said the government's food advisory committee was keen to
avoid health risks associated with genetic modifications, adding
there were no price advantages to be gained from importing GM
foods. 

Sri Lanka does not produce any GM foods, but is a significant
importer of wheat and sugar.

GM foods contain a gene from another organism generally to make them
resistant to herbicides or to produce their own toxins to kill pests.

Proponents of the new technology say it contributes to higher crop
yields and lower production costs while critics fear long-term
health and environmental consequences.

Copyright 2000 Reuters Limited.  


PAN - Asia and the Pacific
P.O. Box 1170
11850 Penang
Malaysia    

Web     : http://www.poptel.org.uk/panap
Tel.    : 604-6570271/6560381
Fax     : 604-6577445