Alarmed anti-GMO groups said yesterday the government's stance indicated the extent to which it "kowtowed" to multinational biotechnology corporations while ignoring the negative impact of GMOs.
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SA told its delegates to oppose IUCN on GMOs
Activists outraged
Cape Times, November 29, 2004
By Melanie Goslinghttp://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=271&fArticleId=2326303

South Africa's government gave "strict instructions" to its delegates not to support the call made by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) for the halting of further releases of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Alarmed anti-GMO groups said yesterday the government's stance indicated the extent to which it "kowtowed" to multinational biotechnology corporations while ignoring the negative impact of GMOs.

Explaining why South Africa had voted against the GMO moratorium, Chippy Olver, director-general of the Department of Environment Affairs and Tourism, said: "The government could not support the call because it was not properly phrased or thought through. We want the IUCN to focus on building up a scientific base. Making rash calls like this undermines the IUCN's credibility."

The IUCN, one of the world's biggest conservation organisations, resolved at its congress in Bangkok last week that there should be no further releases of GMOs until it had been proved they were safe for humans and the environment. The resolution was supported by 84 votes by world governments and opposed by 48. Each member state had three votes.

Biowatch SA said the government's opposition to the IUCN resolution reflected its reluctance to adopt a precautionary approach to the "highly risky and untested technology".

"GMOs have potentially devastating consequences for the environment, food security, human health and the rural poor," it said. "It is extremely disturbing that our government is apparently blind to these negative impacts and the need to put in place adequate measures to safeguard people and the environment."

Mariam Mayet of the African Centre for Biosafety said: "The government has bought into a lie. It must be accountable to the people and tell us exactly what it is up to. It appears it is assisting the agenda of the biotechnology corporates."

Genetically modified maize, soya and cotton are being grown commercially in South Africa.

Wally Green of Monsanto said GMOs presented no danger to health or to the environment.

"There is a mountain of evidence to support this, from the World Health Organisation, the medical associations of the US and Britain and six academies of science. GMOs have been around for 10 years and billions of meals have been eaten with no evidence of negative effects.".

Jocelyn Webster, of AfricaBio, said the IUCN resolution was "shortsighted" as GMOs had been proved to be safe. - Environment Writer.