By Suria Prakash and Jennifer Mourin

Asia Pacific Peoples' Assembly Discussion:
Hotel Grand Olympic, Tues: Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia and the Pacific's Safe Food Campaign 1998 were launched at the APPA Land, Food Security and Agriculture Forum in Kuala Lumpur by a panel of scientists, health, environmental and consumer activists. The theme of the campaign, "Say NO! to Genetic Engineering in agriculture and food production", aimed to debunk corporate propaganda that genetic engineering was the panacea for all our food needs into the next century. There is ever increasing evidence that this technology has more problems than solutions for us all. Launching the campaign, Sarojeni Rengam said: "Genetically engineered foods involves too many problems and unresolved issues, and these issues are of concern to the whole of Asia. This is because more and more genetically engineered foods are being imported into Asian countries, ostensibly to meet the food needs of the region.
"We can feed ourselves without genetically engineered foods," she said. "It is an unnecessary technology. Our farmers do not want it, our consumers do not need it." Only agrochemical and seed corporations will benefit from it. PAN Asia and the Pacific is collaborating with its network partners in the region to carry out this campaign. "Growing concern over these 'miracle' foods and the lack of information has prompted coordinated action over this issue," said Jennifer Mourin, campaign coordinator. "Corporate dominance of our food production is being propelled by trade liberalisation via trade blocks like APEC, and free trade agreements like GATT. This calls for concerted action against genetically engineered foods in the region." The panel of experts, which included Dr. Vandana Shiva, Dr. Micheal Hansen, Dr. Romeo Quijano, Barbara Dinham and Mika Iba, talked about how genetically engineered food was being forced upon countries by corporations and the various issues involved.
Dr. Vandana Shiva said Monsanto, which was the biggest player in the game, is the "worst global terrorist." It is forcing the "hazardous food" on all countries, using tremendous pressure and misleading promotional campaigns. Monsanto has, in fact, "held the US Food and Drug Administration captive," she stated. "It is a terrorist in not allowing people to have the food they want, by refusing to segregate genetically engineered food crops and to label genetically engineered foods. And through force, coercion and terror, Monsanto is trying to control the world's food production. We must try to make the food system more democratic by relating closely with farmers." She also said that, significantly, insurance companies were refusing to cover liability on genetically engineered foods, which is a reflection of its safety. The trade agreements do not talk about liabilities. "We must force the exporting countries to accept liabilities. If there is no liability, there is no trade or biosafety protocol, either". Dr. Michael Hansen, of the New York based Consumer Policy Institute warned that genetically engineered foods can cause severe, potentially fatal, allergies. Genetically modified peanuts, dairy products and shellfish were particularly dangerous, and there have been tested cases of allergy from soyabeans. "Without labelling, it is even impossible to trace what food you are reacting to. Europe and India are demanding labelling, and other countries should put pressure. "One of the greatest dangers of genetically engineered foods is the development of antibiotic resistance in consumers because of the antibiotic maker genes used in the process of modifying genes," he said. This is particularly worrisome in the context of the already increasing antibiotic resistance in the case of several infections diseases. Genetically engineered crops could also cause ecological disruptions as the modified genes can cross-over to other, non-engineered crops, creating "superweeds". As resistance to genetically engineered foods mounts in the US and Europe, "there is a danger that it will be dumped on the South," he warned. There are already "significant imports" of soyabean in countries such as Singapore and South Korea.
In Europe, anger among the people caused by "mad cow" disease has been stoked further by genetically engineered foods, said Barbara Dinham, of the Pesticides Trust based in London. "There is resistance in Europe because consumers feel genetically engineered foods are unsafe and their effects irreversible." One food chain in England has refused to buy genetically engineered foods. And there are movements opposing the import of genetically engineered foods and the planting of genetically engineered crops, which may force the European Commission to rethink its stand on these issues. Health and environmental activist, Dr. Romeo Quijano pointed out that small and poor farmers in the Asian region will be affected by the monopoly corporate control of genetically engineered seeds through patents. "This will worsen their dependence," he said. "Governments in the region are collaborators in pushing genetically engineered crops. National committees to regulate genetically engineered crops and foods are actually facilitating their entry instead of regulating. And there are no safety or toxicological tests." In Asia, most countries look up to Japan in matters of food issues, but Mika Ika said Japan did not have statutory regulation of genetically engineered foods, and there was also a lack of information. "There are only voluntary safety guidelines, and much of the information comes from Monsanto itself". In fact, the US Department of Agriculture, which has a high stake in promoting genetically engineered foods, had been leading "intensive education" programmes on the safety of genetically engineered foods in Japan. Japanese consumers are now demanding labelling of genetically engineered foods, she said.
As part of the Campaign, PAN AP also organised a lecture tour of Dr Hansen to several countries in Asia, including Thailand. One major outcome of his trip there came on Nov 6 when the Thai Biotec Centre admitted that "genetically engineered foods and agricultural products may pose a health hazard". Dr Suthat Sriwathanapong (National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Technology), said to protect consumers against this possible health risk, the Thai Food and Drug Administration should issue a more comprehensive rule to regulate genetically engineered drugs and products. The issues of genetic engineering as a tool of corporate control over our resources, increasing farmers' dependency on foreign technological inputs, and threats to human health and environment will be discussed at the forum on Land, Food Security and Agriculture.