[asia-apec 1443] "All'attenzione dell'Avv. Montarsolo"

[North Sumatra Peasant Union]

Dear Mr. Montarsolo,

I wish to express my disapproval and indignation for the decision by the
Fiera di Genova to host "TeBio", 1st Congress-Fair on Biotecnology.
TeBio presents itself as "an opportunity to learn about biotechnology",
but
experiments on genetical manipulation have been carried out for several
years in secrecy: GM plants have been grown near people's homes and GM
food introduced in their meals without them knowing. Not to mention
genetical
manipulation of animals, and the abhorrent perspective of
xenotransplants,
implying the creation of hideous hybrids.
The only aim of the TeBio fair is to launch GM products on a large
scale:
behind the façade presenting it as a scientific congress it is but a
commercial initiative. But the logic of profit must not prevail over
the  world peoples' right to health and information.
I expect the Fiera di Genova to keep its distance from such initiatives
for the future, sponsoring instead those events that associate the
city's name with sustainable development, respect for the environment
and human health, organized in a democratic and transparent way.

Muhammad Yunus Nasution
President of NSPU/SPSU
Serikat Petani Sumatera Utara/SPSU (North Sumatra Peasant Union/NSPU)
Jl. Karya Jasa 58, Pangkalan Masyhur, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia
20143
Tel/Fax: +62 61 7862073, Email: putratan at indosat.net.id
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Serikat Petani Sumatera Utara/SPSU (North Sumatra Peasant Union/NSPU) is

the federation of peasant organization consists of 105 local peasant
organizations in
North Sumatera Province as its member.

SPSU is declared by the peasant of North Sumatera in Parsariran, South
Tapanuli District, North Sumatera
Province Indonesia on June 3 1994. SPSU is member of La Via Campesina
(International Peasant Movement) at International Leve.
SPSU is founder and member of Federasi Serikat Petani Indonesia/FSPI
(Federation of
Indonesian Peasant Union/FIPU). FSPI or FIPU declared on July 8th 1998
by several peasant organization of Indonesia.
SPSU has two main bodies : Peasant Representative Board as the
legislative body and The Peasant
Executive Body. Both of them are elected by Congress directly. In order
to implement its program  SPSU will set up the Special Task Force and
recruit the Consulates in local, regional, national, and international
level. Special task force and Consulates are the supporting system of
The Peasant Executive body consists of everyone and every institutions
who concern to the Agrarian Reform, Indigenous People, Sustainable
Agriculture, Democracy, and Peasant Movement.
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1) What is the protest about, what is TEBIO and what are GMO's?
TEBIO - to be held in Genoa, Italy, on the 24th, 25th and 26th May,
2000, is the first international congress-fair of biotechnology, a
display of
multinational corporations that will try to impose large-scale
production
of GMOs in Italy.
GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), as is well known, are plants and
animals whose DNA has been modified. DNA contains genes, which determine

the living being's characters (colour, form, sex?). An example of GMO is

the strawberry in which a gene from an arctic fish has been introduced,
to make it resistant to low temperature. GMOs find their application in
agriculture, breeding, and in the medical field. In Europe, large
amounts of genetically modified corn, soy, rapeseed and tobacco are
currently on  the market, for the most part imported from the USA. Soy
by-products alone (oil, flour, lecithin) are contained in 60% of food
industry products (cookies, snacks, chocolate etc.)
Despite the reassuring information boasted by some media, these products
are a hazard for both human health and the environment. Allergy and
interference with the immunitary system are effects already ascertained.

But, since some of the genes introduced in GM food have not been eaten
by
humans (or animals) before (e.g. potatoes with a scorpio gene, corn
containing bacterium), one cannot predict the reaction of the organisms
which feed on them.
Equally unpredictable are the effects of the introduction of GMOs
(entirely
new organisms, which never existed in nature before) in the environment.

GM plants resistant to insects and erbicides, for example, may spread
incontrollably, replacing the natural plants, with effects on the whole
foodchain.
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Please send your message to Fiera di Genova <fierage at fiera.genova.it>
and as Cc to the President of Centro Biotecnologie Avanzate di Genova
<santi at sirio.cba.unige.it> indicating as Object:  "All'attenzione
dell'Avv. Montarsolo"