[asia-apec 1357] Press Release from PAN AP - Global "No Pesticides Use Day"

[PAN Asia Pacific]

Press Release from PAN AP - Global "No Pesticides Use Day" 

This December 3rd, 1999, the global Pesticide Action Network (PAN)
will be observing  "No Pesticides Use Day" with a host of activities
to draw attention to the life threatening impacts of chemical
pesticides on people  and the environment.  The day is also being
held in commemoration of the  thousands who died, and the tens of
thousands who still suffer as a resul t of the 1984 Bhopal disaster.

The tragedy of Bhopal is an example of an intense instance of
chemical pesticide contamination for which its victims continue to
suffer to this day. Bhopal has been called the worst commercial
industrial disaster in history - but not the last. Around the world
the ongoing manufacture, distri bution, and use of chemical
pesticides continues to reek devastating impacts on people and the
environment. Every year about 3 million people are  poisoned around
the world and 200,000 die from pesticide use.  While many of the
reported ill effects constitute acute cases of pesticide poisoning,
it is the chronic long-term effects such as cancers that are of
increasing concern. 

"The current trends of globalization, and increasing
commercialization of agriculture, is promoting intensive use of
hazardous pesticides. This has intensified the suffering of millions
of people in rural agriculture and the plantation sector the world
over!"  states Sarojeni V. Rengam, Executive Director of PAN Asia
and the Pacific. While most pesticide-related deaths occur in the
South, pesticides also pose serious problems in industrialized
countries. In both rich and poor countries however, the effects of
pesticide poisoning are suffered disproportionately by the poor and
disadvantaged, and children are particularly vulnerable!

Activities in the Region

Asia:  Throughout the month of December, PAN Asia and the Pacific
will be collaborating with partner groups in the region to observe
global "No Pe sticides Use Day" by launching the Asian Safe Food
Campaign. This year, the Campaign tackles Endocrine Disruptors -
exposing the threats man-made chemicals pose in disrupting the
hormone systems of human beings and wildlife, with a particular
focus on pesticides.

"The Campaign upholds peoples' right to know about the dangerous
effects of endocrine disrupters, and to demand precautionary and
protective measu res towards a safer, more sustainable environment
for present and future generations" explains PAN AP Safe Food
Campaign Coordinator, Jennifer Mou rin. The Campaign will take off
in countries like Malaysia, Philippines, India and Sri Lanka with a
flurry of activities ranging from Public Health Forums and Seminars,
Indigenous/Safe Food Festivals and Farmers' Gatherings.

Africa: PAN Africa will sensitise decision-makers, crop protection
workers, agricultural extension workers and trainers, peasant
groups, NGOs working towards sustainable agriculture, the chemical
industry and the general public in different African countries with
regards to the issue. The hazards that pesticide production units
and warehouses represent for surrou nding inhabitants will be
particularly emphasised, as the fact is that 50 % of all pesticides
actually used for global crop protection can be suppressed without
any significant consequence on world food production. Sever al
researchers in Senegal will undertake to publish articles related to
some of the adverse effects of pesticides.

North America: As part of the observation of "No Pesticides Use" day,
PAN North America (PANNA) will be launching its campaign to stop the
spread of genetically engineered crops. "Genetic engineering is
often portrayed as a silver bullet that will reduce pesticide use
and feed the world. In reality however, it is nothing more than a
way to expand corporate control of our food supply. And it's brought
to us by the very same companies that push pesticides," states Ellen
Hickey, Director of Research at PAN North America.

Also this month, PANNA will launch a joint project with U.S. farm
worker  organizations to provide much needed information on the
poisons these workers encounter in the fields. In addition, PANNA is
leading a delegation  of PAN groups to the December meeting of the
Montreal Protocol in Beijing . The groups are there to ensure that
the deadly pesticide methyl bromide is phased out according to
international deadlines and replaced with ecologically sound
alternatives.

Latin America: In Latin America, the activism and message of "No
Pesticid e Use" is ongoing.  As commented on by Luis Gomerro,
Coordinator of PAN L atin America based in Peru, "We need to take the
'No Pesticides Use' mess age to the grassroots, to every village...
every person needs to understand the dangers that pesticides pose to
human health and the environment!"

In Latin America, PAN is working to take the message of "No
Pesticide Use " to every community and every legislator. "Especially
now, in the wake of the death of 24 children in Peru who drank milk
contaminated with parathion, PAN will mobilise to petition the
regional and national governments to ban the extremely toxic
Category 1a and 1b pesticides, which both pre sent unacceptable
dangers to public health and the environment," added Gomerro.

Europe:  Representatives from the Pesticides Trust of the U.K. will
be travelling to Bhopal to join in the activities to commemorate
15th annivers ary of the worst chemical disaster in history. 

Launch of PAN Website!

One major collaborative effort of the PAN regional centres, in the
Africa , Asia, Latin Amreica, Europe and the U.S., Europe, will be
the launch th e PAN International website!  The PAN international
website will also be  launched on the "No Pesticides Use" day. The
site was developed by PAN No rth America in collaboration with the
regional centres. According to Skip Spitzer, PANNA Internet
developer, "Visitors to the PAN international we bsite will be able
to learn not only about PAN campaigns around the world , but they
can also access vital information about hazardous pesticides,
genetic engineering and sustainable alternatives."

Background to the Pesticide Action Network 

Pesticide Action Network (PAN) is a global coalition of citizen's
groups  and individuals who oppose the misuse and overuse of
pesticides, and supp ort the reliance on safe and sustainable
alternatives.  PAN links over 300 groups in 50 countries and
operates through 5 regional centers:

PAN Centre Regional Pour L'Afrique in Senegal, for Africa.  
Tel: (221) 2 54 914 
Fax: (221) 254 914  
E-Mail: panafric at telecomplus.sn

PAN AP in Penang, Malaysia, for Asia and the Pacific.  
Tel:  (604) 657 02 71/656 0381 
Fax: (604) 675 7445. 
E-Mail: panap at panap.po.my 

Red de Accion en Alternativas al Uso de Agroquimicos (RAAA) in Lima,
Peru , for Latin America.  
Tel: (51-1) 421 0826  
Fax:  (51-1) 440 4359.  
E-mail: raaaper at mail.cosapidata.com.pe

The Pesticides Trust in London, England, for Europe.  
Tel:  (44-171) 274 8895  
Fax: (44-171) 274 9084.  
E-Mail: pesttrust at gn.apc.org

PAN North America (PANNA) in San Francisco, U.S.A, for North America.
Tel: (1-415) 981 1771 
Fax: (1-415) 981 1991.  
E-Mail: panna at panna.org


Brief Background to Bhopal

On the evening of December 3rd 1984, Union Carbide's
pesticide-manufactur ing plant in Bhopal, India leaked 42 metric
tonnes of methyl isocyanate,  a heavy deadly gas, into a sleeping,
impoverished community - killing over 2,500 people and injuring up
to 200,000 others.

The Bhopal tragedy exposed the negligence and culpability of
transnationa l corporations.  The company attributable for the
tragedy, Union Carbide  Corporation accepted 'moral responsibility'
for the Bhopal massacre, but then denied and evaded any other kind
of responsibility.  While it eventually agreed to pay $470 million
in compensation, for most victims this was not even enough to pay
their medical bills.  Since the incident, Union  Carbide has closed
and abandoned its Bhopal plant which produced pesticides for use in
cotton production. But it refused to clean up the substantial
pollution of water and soil it left and has forsaken the estimated
140 ,000 survivors who still suffer from a range of diseases linked
to exposure to the gas that leaked from the site. As the years pass,
the harms attributable to the Bhopal disaster grow worse as more and
more health impac ts are continuously uncovered.

Although no criminal verdicts have been issued in the Bhopal case,
Union Carbide settled with the Indian Government for US$ 470
million in 1989. To date, individual settlements have been in the
range of US$ 3300 for loss of life and US$ 800 for permanent
disability. Union Carbide has since a bandoned the Bhopal plant
that produced pesticides for use in cotton production, and has not
cleaned up its legacy of extensive soil and water pollution.
Criminal cases against Union Carbide are still pending in the
Bhopal district court. 

On August 4, 1999, Dow Chemical Company announced that it would
acquire Union Carbide Corporation, creating the world's second
largest chemical company after Du Pont Corporation. Dow Chemical
gained notoriety in the 1960's as one of the makers of the herbicide
known as 'Agent Orange', used a s a defoliant during the Vietnam War.
Today, news of the merger still evokes strong protests from the
survivors of the disaster. 

For years, the Bhopal survivors' organizations have called upon Union
Car bide to release precise details of the chemicals released during
the acci dent and results of tests conducted by Union Carbide to
further assess the effects of methyl isocyanate on animals. This
information has been with held by Union Carbide because the company
claims it is 'confidential business information'. However, such data
is necessary to enable effective treatment of those who remain ill
as a result of the tragedy.

The merger between Dow and Union Carbide, estimated to be worth
approximately US$ 11.6 billion, is expected to materialise during
the first three months of 2000. The new Dow would operate in 168
countries and have more than US$ 24 billion in revenue. According to
the President and Chief Executive Officer, the company would "save
at least US$ 500 million annually" as a result of the merger. A
spokesperson for the Bhopal disaster victims' organizations said
"Dow Chemicals has made a serious mistake if it thinks that the
disappearance of the Union Carbide name will bring the Bhopal issue
to a close. Dow will inherit all of Union Carbide's liabilities and
responsibilities. Dow needs to know that Bhopal gas victims will
never give up their fight for justice and fair compensation."

Read more about the disaster at http://www.bhopal.org and about the
Remember Bhopal campaign at
http://www.EssentialAction.org/bhopal/index.html 

For more information please contact:
Jennifer Mourin, Safe Food Campaign Coordinator / 
Thirunavukkarasu Jr., Research Officer,  
PAN AP, Penang.  
Tel: (604) 657 0271 / 656 0381;  
Fax: (60 4) 657 7445.  
Internet: http://www.poptel.org.uk/panap/ 
E-mail: panap at pana p.po.my

Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia and the Pacific is one of the
regiona l centre's for PAN International - a global coalition of
citizen's groups and individuals who are working to promote
sustainable agriculture, and oppose the use of pesticides. PAN Asia
and the Pacific is dedicated to en suring the empowerment of
people, especially women, agricultural workers, peasant and
indigenous farmers. We are specially committed to protect the safety
and health of people and the environment from pesticide use.


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