Below is a protest letter about the Vatican-US conference.

Please also consider writing to the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences to tell him your concerns. His address is given in the letter below.

Or you may want to fax your concerns to ensure that letters get to him on time: +39-0669885218

The conference takes place this Friday, 24th September.

See also:
*Vatican conference condemned as tool of US by leading US Catholic
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4359
*Tragedy if Vatican listens to corporations rather than Christian communities
http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=4334
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Safe Food Coalition
P O Box 665
Linkhills, 3652
KwaZulu-Natal
Republic of South Africa

18 September 2004

Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences
Msgr Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo
Casina Pio IV
00120 - VATICAN

Dear Msgr Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo

Vatican-U.S. seminar: Feeding a Hungry World: The Moral Imperative of Biotechnology

The Safe Food Coalition are as concerned as yourselves about hunger in the Third World, however it appears the global biotechnology industry are using their influence at the U.S. Embassy to promote unwanted genetically modified (GM) crops. An endorsement of GM crop technology by the Holy See would be a profitable marketing exercise for
them.

We appeal to you to investigate how the governments and the biotech industry have lied to consumers about the safety of GM foods. This is exposed in the the well researched and referenced book " Seeds of Deception " by Jeffrey Smith http://www.seedsofdeception.com/

Furthermore, on the 17 April 2004 New Scientist published a report which reveals how the adoption of GM soya has devastated the livelihoods of small scale farmers in Argentina, damaged their environment and harmed the health of the Argentinean population. http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=3280

We are further concerned by the lineup of speakers at the conference. Please see profile of Dr CS Prakash http://www.gmwatch.org/profile1.asp?PrId=106&page=P

African countries are being targeted by the biotech industry and its lobbyists with unprecedented backing from the U.S. government, see <http://www.gmwatch.org/p1temp.asp?pid=37&page=1> while massive hype and trade pressure are being used to force GM products on Asia, please visit:
http://www.gmwatch.org/p1temp.asp?pid=42&page=1

Food security and small scale farmers are being undermined by patents registered over GM seeds, See "Patents and Intellectual Property Rights in African Agriculture: Implications for small farmers" by Devlin Kuyek (GRAIN)<http://www.grain.org/publications/africa-ipr-2002-en.cfm>
and for a thought provoking response to the U.S. biotech industry read "Twelve Reasons for Africa to Reject GM Crops", an article from Seedling magazine, 17 August 2004, authored by Zachary Makanya http://www.grain.org/seedling/?id=294

There are superior alternatives to GM crops which are not on the agenda of the above mentioned conference, possibly as they do not create profits for the U.S. biotechnology industry. These economic and scientifically sound solutions to hunger should be investigated. Visit:

a) New Scientist - (Kenyan farmers using low cost organic methods have increased yields 100%)
<http://www.biotech-info.net/ordinary_miracle.html>

b) "Sustainable Organic Farming Has Sustained Our Lives" by Dr Esusebius J. Mukhawana
<http://www.acts.or.ke/sacred/Report%20-%20ORGANIC%20FARMING.pdf>

c) HIGHLIGHTS IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE FROM AROUND THE WORLD: (Small scale farmers increase yields by between 10-200% without GM Crops) <http://www.members.tripod.com/~ngin/article2.htm>

d) FARMING SOLUTIONS WITHOUT GM CROPS  http://www.farmingsolutions.org >

Keep in mind the biotech industry spend millions of dollars on marketing and public relations to force GM crops onto an unsuspecting public, see

"More fake GM farmers from Africa?"
<http://www.lobbywatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1235>

"Monsanto's World Wide Web of Deceit":
http://ngin.tripod.com/deceit_index.html

The Safe Food Coalition appeal to you to go into this conference with a good understanding of the issues at stake and realise what lengths big business are prepared to go to generate profits. The world's poor and hungry are relying on your good judgement.

Sincerely
Andrew Taynton
Spokesperson - Safe Food Coalition (South Africa)