Hartmut Meyer has pulled together for the GENET list a series of articles detailing the dirty tricks, corruption and empty promises that seem to have been the hallmark of GM crops in Indonesia.
Here's an excerpt from the testimony of one Indonesian farmer:
"We demand justice so we burned our cotton to make the message clear. We are not bluffing. We know that we're risking our life by taking this position through the tide of intimidation and threat from local government and security officers, but we'd rather die protecting our right than surrendering it to the hands of the company that has deceived us.
"This is my testimony. A testimony that was based on my bitter experience, a traumatic one. The practice of Bt cotton planting has given us more harm than good. .. [Farmers’] voices were unheard... I speak for them, the unheard voices, for the injustice that they get so that we can learn from the truth."
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Update on the failure of Bt cotton in Indonesia
Dear GENET-news readers,
this update on the GMO situation in Indonesia contains some older messages which have not yet been sent via the GENET lists. Since the ISAAA PR still lists Indonesia as GE plant growing country the following quotes were a bit of surprise for me:
"Governor Amin said cotton farmers could no longer harvest cotton after Monsanto stopped supplying the seeds from December 2002."
"Monsanto closed down the biotech cotton sales operations in 2003 after two unsuccessful years that came amid complaints over yields and pricing."
Best regards,
Hartmut Meyer
PART I
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TITLE: Supreme Court urged to ban GMO
SOURCE: The Jakarta Post, Indonesia, by Rendi A. Witular
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailbusiness.asp?fileid=20040325.L04&irec=4
DATE: 25 Mar 2004
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Supreme Court urged to ban GMO
A coalition of environmental non-governmental organizations has urged the Supreme Court to rule against the government's policy allowing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to be planted in Indonesian soil.
Executive director of the National Consortium for the Preservation of Indonesian Forest and Nature, Tejo Wahyu Jatmiko, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday the policy violated an existing law on environmental management.
"We hope the Supreme Court will deliver its verdict soon," Tejo said.
Tejo said the NGOs had initially filed a lawsuit with the State Administrative Court against the Ministry of Agriculture in September 2001. The lawsuit challenged the ministry's decision to grant a license to PT Monagro Kimia to distribute transgenic crops.
Monagro is the Indonesian unit of U.S.-based genetically modified crops producer Monsanto Co.
The coalition lost the first and second round of its legal battle and decided to appeal to the Supreme Court in March 2002.
Tejo explained the decision by the ministry in granting license for Monagro to distribute and plant genetically modified crops was against Environmental Management Law No. 23/1997.
He said that according to the law, Monagro should have completed an environmental impact assessment first before the Ministry of Agriculture could issue the permit.
"We are very suspicious why the ministry issued the license (to Monagro)," Tejo said.
The U.S. Department of Justice has recently launched an investigation into issues related to Mosanto's unit in Indonesia over an improper US$50,000 payment to an Indonesian government official in 2002.
In October 2000, the Indonesian government scrapped plans to release transgenic products to the local market.
But the Ministry of Agriculture then designated South Sulawesi as a testing ground for Monsanto's transgenic crops in 2001, prompting protests from environmentalists.
The biologically engineered plants are meant to be resistant to pests or herbicides.
But environmentalists oppose them because little is known about the long-term impact of GMOs on the environment and on human health.
A number of European countries have rejected outright their commercial use. American companies remain at the forefront of producing a variety of transgenic crops, and they have been actively looking for markets in the developing world.
PART II
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TITLE: Monsanto Indonesia Probe Widens
SOURCE: Reuters / Financial Express, India
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=55432&spf=true
DATE: 23 Mar 2004
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Monsanto Indonesia Probe Widens
JAKARTA, MARCH 23: US authorities widened a probe into the US agricultural and chemical company -- Monsanto Company's -- involvement in improper business dealings in Indonesia, but a senior agriculture official said that he was not aware of any such incidents.
Investigators are now looking into whether a former outside consultant to Monsanto made an improper $50,000 payment early in 2002 to an Indonesian government official at the direction of a former Monsanto employee, the company said on Monday.
But, a senior Indonesian agriculture ministry official, who declined to be identified, said on Tuesday, "We have no knowledge about it."
The company is one of the world's leading developers of genetically modified seeds, but had trouble getting some of its biotech crops approved in foreign countries, including a biotech cotton variety introduced in Indonesia in 2001.
Both the US department of justice (DoJ) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are looking into issues involving the St Louis-based company's activities in Indonesia.
"The DoJ has informed us that they are expanding their particular inquiry. These are serious allegations and we will continue to cooperate," said Monsanto US spokeswoman Lori Fisher on Monday, adding that the employee has left the company.
Independent groups generally rank Indonesia among the world's 10 most corrupt countries along with Nigeria and Bangladesh, where payments to grease bureaucratic wheels are a common practice.
Describing the way some multinational companies handle such matters, Luky Djani, vice coordinator of the NGO Indonesian Corruption Watch, said: "What usually happens is that they use their local partner in doing these kind of things that can be categorised as bribery," Djani said, adding, that puts companies in a position where, if caught, they can say, "Take a look at our documents and our policies. We would not do such things."
Potential problems in Indonesia for Monsanto first surfaced when it disclosed to regulators in November 2002 that an internal audit uncovered compliance irregularities in the country, where the company has been losing money over the last few years.
Monsanto closed down the biotech cotton sales operations in 2003 after two unsuccessful years that came amid complaints over yields and pricing.
Today, the company's business in Indonesia is confined to herbicide sales and conventional corn seed sales and the country is a relatively small contributor to overall revenue. Net combined revenue from Indonesian customers represents only about 0.8 per cent of total corporate revenue of $5 billion, the company said.
PART III
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TITLE: Monsanto Provides Update Regarding Indonesian Activities
SOURCE: Monsanto USA
http://www.monsanto.com/monsanto/layout/media/04/03-22-04.asp
DATE: 22 Mar 2004
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Monsanto Provides Update Regarding Indonesian Activities
ST. LOUIS (March 22, 2004) - Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) said today that it continues to work with the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in connection with the company's previously reported issues involving its Indonesian affiliates. The DoJ has advised the company that its investigation has expanded to include an inquiry into whether a former outside consultant made an improper $50,000 payment to an Indonesian government official in early 2002 at the direction of a former Monsanto employee.
In early November 2002, Monsanto voluntarily disclosed to regulatory authorities possible issues with its Indonesian affiliates after an internal audit and follow-up review by management and outside counsel found compliance irregularities.
"The acts alleged to have occurred in connection with our Indonesian affiliates are obviously contrary to Monsanto's corporate policy," said Charles W. Burson, general counsel. "Monsanto continues to cooperate with DoJ and SEC so that their respective ongoing inquiries on this matter can be resolved as expeditiously as possible."
For the eight months ended Aug. 31, 2003, and for the years ended Dec. 31, 2002 and 2001, the net combined revenues from customers in Indonesia were less than 0.8 percent of total corporate revenues. The net income (loss) for these periods related to these revenues and the Indonesian operations was approximately $(7) million, $(1) million and $(15) million, respectively, including restructuring charges of approximately $5 million in each of 2002 and 2001.
Monsanto Company is a leading global provider of technology-based solutions and agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food quality.
PART IV
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TITLE: genetically modified crops, a decade of failure - Indonesia
SOURCE: Friends of the Earth International
http://www.foei.org/media/gmdecade.html
part four, p. 40/41
DATE: Feb 2004
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genetically modified crops, a decade of failure
In 2001 a coalition of Indonesian NGOs campaigning on biosafety and food took legal action against the decree authorizing the sale of GM cottonseeds for cultivation in South Sulawesi, citing the inadequate environmental impact assessment and lack of public participation. Unfortunately, the NGO coalition lost the case in court in September 2001.
Farmers in South Sulawesi burning GM cotton in September 2001.
Pictures 1 & 2
"There are two possibilities for my cotton harvest: I will keep it until decayed or I will burn it, even though I might lose in production cost and effort, rather than sell it to Monsanto." Baco, a farmer in Manyampa village, South Sulawesi.
conventional cotton preferred
Monsanto promoted Bt cotton among farmers by arguing that it was environmentally friendly, that it used fewer pesticides, that it would ensure an abundant harvest, that it was good for export and that it would increase the welfare of farmers. In general, however, Bt cotton was a failure. It succumbed to drought and pest infestations. Many farmers complained about Monsanto's claims about the superiority and performance of the genetically engineered cotton. The government revealed that more than 70 percent of the Bt crop locations did not produce the promised expected yields. Some Bt cotton growers confirmed that they harvested around 500 kilograms per hectare, whereas Monsanto repeatedly boasted that its GM cotton would yield three tons per hectare.
ten years later: broken promises and unsustainable agriculture - four monsanto kicked out of south sulawesi, indonesia
Indonesia is a major importer of cotton, a raw material for its huge textile industry. In 1999, Bt cotton was approved by the Indonesian government and declared environmentally safe for planting in the country.
bt cotton in south sulawesi
In 2000, forty tons of genetically modified cottonseeds from South Africa arrived at the were imported by PT Monagro Kimia, the Indonesian subsidiary of Monsanto. The seed, developed by Monsanto, is known as "Bollgard", and "Bt" refers to the gene for an insect-killing toxin isolated from the soil microbe Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and inserted into the cottonseed. The seeds were trucked away under armed guard, to be sold to farmers in seven districts in the province. Opposition was strong from the very beginning. Local NGO activists opposing the imports tried to block the trucks leaving the airport, and protested against the use of the Indonesian military police to guard the vehicles. Activists said that the seed should be quarantined for detailed examination before distribution, and accused the company of attempting to disguise what they were doing by using trucks marked "rice delivery". Protests continued in 2001, and hundreds of farmers and NGO activists joined a demonstration led by the Indonesian Federation of Peasants' Unions calling.
monsanto pulls out of south sulawesi
In December 2003, the Indonesian Agriculture finally announced that had pulled out of South Sulawesi years of field experiments there. company had already stopped seeds to the farmers in February One of Monsanto's reasons for withdrawing was that its cotton business in South was no longer economically viable. The majority of farmers are pleased Monsanto's departure, as they suffered with the GM cotton. In fact many groups had stopped planting products long before the seed stopped in February 2003. more information: Organic Consumers Association: www.organicconsumers.gefood/IndonesiaCotton.cfm
testimony by ibi santi profile, an indonesian farmer who burned her cotton fields
Ibu Santi Profile.
Picture 3
"My name is Santi. I am a farmer and the head of a women farmers group in Bulukumba, South Sulawesi. One year ago, officers from the plantation office came to my door and persuaded me to plant Bt cottonseeds in our 25 hectares of farm land. They told me that it will yield a good harvest, a productivity of 4 to7 tons per hectare. They said the company, Branita Sandhini [a subsidiary of Monsanto] that provides us with the seeds and fertilizers through credit schemes will buy our harvest at a good price, so we can pay our debt to the company and improve our welfare. So, despite my farmers group's doubt and our limited experience in cotton planting, I encouraged them to alter the cornfield into a Bt cotton field. For the sake of our welfare, to improve our future.
But that was a lie. Good harvest was nothing more than illusion. The harvest was very poor, just 2-3 rugs (around 70-120 kilograms) for each hectare. Far from helping, the company then raised the price of the seeds and fertilizer before the harvesting time and forced us to agree to that one-sided decision by signing the letter of agreement. If we didn't sign the letter, the company refused to measure or buy our harvest. The company didn't give the farmer any choice, they never intended to improve our well being, they just put us in a debt circle, took away our independence and made us their slave forever. They try to monopolize everything, the seeds, the fertilizer, the marketing channel and even our life.
I refused it. We, I and my fellow group members, did not deserve this kind of fate. Many other farmers and their groups chose to surrender their independence but we didn't. Instead of signing the letter, we burned our cotton. We were angry about the company's dirty tricks, unfair treatment and empty promises. We demand justice so we burned our cotton to make the message clear. We are not bluffing. We know that we're risking our life by taking this position through the tide of intimidation and threat from local government and security officers, but we'd rather die protecting our right than surrendering it to the hands of the company that has deceived us. This is my testimony. A testimony that was based on my bitter experience, a traumatic one. The practice of Bt cotton planting has given us more harm than good. Many of my fellow farmers have experienced the same things. Their voices were unheard, covered by the company's lies and our local government's repudiation that put the blame on our limited knowledge and experience. I speak for them, the unheard voices, for the injustice that they get so that we can learn from the truth." source: Konphalindo
PART V
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TITLE: South Sulawesi wants permit of GMO producer suspended
SOURCE: The Jakarta Post, Indonesia, by Andi Hajramurni
http://www.ecologyasia.com/NewsArchives/mar2003/thejakartapost.com_20030315_1.htm
DATE: 15 Mar 2003
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South Sulawesi wants permit of GMO producer suspended
South Sulawesi Governor Amin Syam asked Jakarta on Friday to suspend the operations of PT Monagro Kimia, the Indonesian unit of U.S.-based genetically modified crops producer Monsanto, after cotton farmers accused the company of withholding supplies.
Governor Amin said cotton farmers could no longer harvest cotton after Monsanto stopped supplying the seeds from December 2002.
Farmers, who had come to rely on Monsanto's cotton seeds since they were first introduced in South Sulawesi in 2000, urged the company to resume supplies.
"We've asked Pak minister not to issue permits to Monsanto for the supply of other genetically modified commodities such as cacao until it has settled its problem with the cotton farmers," Amin said following a meeting on the 2003 national agricultural activities program, attended by Minister of Agriculture Bungaran Saragih.
"Monsanto's decision to cut the supply has caused huge losses to farmers," said the governor.
Minister Bungaran replied that the company had suspended supplies because it had suffered losses. Still, he said the government would consider Amin's request.
Amin said Monsanto had promised the farmers it would supply the cotton seeds. So its financial performance should not be an excuse to abandon that promise, he said. "If they are making a loss, that's their problem. Don't burden the farmers with this."
Monagro spokeswoman Wiwik Wahyuni confirmed that the company had suffered a loss but declined to say why it had suspended supplies. "We're still discussing this issue with the Ministry of Agriculture, as we surely want a win-win solution, " she told The Jakarta Post .
Wiwik said Monagro's operating permit was based on an annual decree from the ministry.
The company had not asked for a new permit this year, after it decided to suspend seed supplies last December. Its 2002 permit had expired, and a new one was due last January, she explained.
Since Monsanto's seeds were first introduced in 2000, farmers reported a sharp rise in productivity, and thus their income.
Transgenic, or genetically modified, organisms are reckoned to create higher-quality crops and stock through the insertion of genes from other species.
The biologically engineered products are meant to protect the plant from pests or make it resistant to a specific herbicide.
But the use of such biotechnology products is controversial.
Environmentalists oppose them because little is known about the long-term impact of genetically modified commodities on the environment and on human health.
A number of European countries have rejected outright their commercial use. American companies remain at the forefront of producing a variety of transgenic crops, and they have been actively looking for markets in the developing world.
Environmental groups in Indonesia protested the entrance of Monsanto's genetically modified crops until it was clear how safe they were to the environment.
In October 2000, the government scrapped plans to release transgenic products to the Indonesian market.
But the Ministry of Agriculture then designated South Sulawesi as a testing ground for such crops, pending assessments on their health and environmental impacts.
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GENET
European NGO Network on Genetic Engineering
Hartmut MEYER (Mr)
Kleine Wiese 6
D - 38116 Braunschweig
Germany
P: +49-531-5168746
F: +49-531-5168747
M: +49-162-1054755
E: coordination(*)genet-info.org
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