25 April 2003
Cargill man in charge of food and ag in Iraq/Only US votes against Jean Ziegler and the right to food
*CARGILL'S DANIEL AMSTUTZ "OUR MAN IN IRAQ" *UNITED NATIONS VOTES ON RIGHT-TO-FOOD RESOLUTION 51 NATIONS APPROVE, ONE DISAPPROVES; GUESS WHO ???
*PEASANT LEADER MURDERED
The US hostility to UN's Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler (see the second item below), arises from his having questioned the safety of GM food and his suggesting that big corporations have more to gain from its use than poor countries fighting starvation, "There is absolutely no justification to produce genetically modified food except the profit motive and the domination of the multinational corporations." U.N. food envoy questions safety of gene crops (Reuters, 15 Oct 2002) http://ngin.tripod.com/151002c.htm
Meanwhile in the Philippines a peasant leader, Eddie Gumanoy, whose KMP organisation has strongly opposed GM crops, has been abducted and killed (third item).
First two items based on pieces in THE AGRIBUSINESS EXAMINER, April 25, 2003, Issue #241, http://www.ea1.com/CARP/
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COMMENTARY: CARGILL'S DANIEL AMSTUTZ "OUR MAN IN IRAQ"
Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman has named Daniel Amstutz to lead the U.S. Government's agriculture reconstruction efforts in Iraq. Amstutz will serve as senior ministry advisor for agriculture in the rebuilding effort and will coordinate the U.S. Government activities in the sector.
"We are extremely pleased to be able to draw upon someone with Dan Amstutz's background and experience for this extremely important task," said Veneman. "He will help us achieve our national objective of creating a democratic and prosperous Iraq while at the same time best utilize the resources of our [ie U.S.] farmers and food industry in the effort, both in the interim and for the longer term."
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UNITED NATIONS VOTES ON RIGHT-TO-FOOD RESOLUTION
51 NATIONS APPROVE, ONE DISAPPROVES; GUESS WHO ???
JEAN ZIEGLER, UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD: In a resolution on the right to food (E/CN.4/2003/L.27), adopted in a roll-call vote of 51 in favor and one against, with one abstention, the Commission encouraged all States to take steps with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of the right to food, including steps to promote the conditions for everyone to be free from hunger and as soon as possible enjoy fully the right to food, as well as to elaborate and adopt national plans to combat hunger; and took note with interest the report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food.
The Commission decided to extend the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food for a further three years...
A Representative of the United States said his delegation could not support the resolution on the right to food. His Government was the largest donor of food aid in the world. His Government's commitment to provide food and end hunger was unquestionable. His Government could not in any way endorse the work of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Jean Ziegler. Instead, he should be reprimanded for his irresponsible statements and for abusing his mandate. His delegation would request for recorded vote and would vote against the text.
The results of the vote were as follows:
Against (1): United States. Abstention (1): Australia.
In favor (51): Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Gabon, Germany, Guatemala, India, Ireland, Japan, Kenya, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Togo, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam and Zimbabwe.
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Kasama-TK storm Mendiola Bridge
GMA: Peasants' Enemy No.1
NEWS RELEASE
April 25, 2003
Reference: IMELDA LACANDAZO, Vice-Chair, KMP
FRED TORRES, Chair, Piglas - Quezon
ROGELIO GALIT, Spokesperson, Kamagsasaka-Ka
Hundreds of farmers from the provinces of Cavite, Batangas and Quezon today held a protest rally in Mendiola Bridge to condemn and charge President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as "brains" in the brutal murders of Southern Tagalog peasant leader Eduardo Gumanoy and human rights activist Eden Marcellana. Gumanoy is the chairperson of the Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid ng Timog Katagalugan (Kasama-TK) while Marcellana is the secretary general of Karapatan-Southern Tagalog.
The Kalipunan ng mga Magsasaka sa Kabite (Kamagsasaka-Ka), Samahang Magbubukid ng Batangas (Sambat), Pinag-isang Lakas ng Magsasaka sa Quezon (Piglas-Quezon) and the umbrella peasant organization Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) in a statement declared President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as "Peasants' Enemy No.1."
The KMP accused "President Arroyo as the main culprit in the brutal murder of Gumanoy and Marcellana."
"The President's all-out war policy against the peasantry and the people is both "a license to kill" and a "shield" for murderers like Col. Jovito Palparan," the KMP said. Imelda Lacandazo, KMP vice chair and erstwhile buddy of Gumanoy said, "Ms Macapagal's hands are tainted with Ka Eddie and Ka Eden's blood. The President, as commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, must be held accountable for the brutal murder of Ka Eddie and Ka Eden."
"Demons like Palparan are the only ones who can perpetrate this kind of brutal murders," she said.
For his part, Rogelio Galit, Kamagsasaka-Ka spokesperson said that, "if Marcos have a torture specialist like Col. Rodolfo Aguinaldo, President Arroyo coddles a butcher like Col. Palparan. The President and Palparan will surely suffer the fate of Marcos and Aguinaldo."
The President yesterday vowed to bring the killers of Gumanoy and Marcellana to the bar of justice. But Piglas-Quezon chair Fred Torres said, "Ms Macapagal can no longer deceive the peasantry. She must stop issuing insulting statements because it only deepens the wounds of injustice."
The peasant groups also welcomed developments inside the Senate suspending committee hearings on Palparan's promotion to brigadier general and reiterated calls for the immediate pullout of the 204th Infantry Brigade from the province of Mindoro Oriental and discharge Col. Palparan from the military. "The bloodshed in Mindoro must be stopped now before another Ka Eddie and Ka Eden suffer from Palparan's hands," the group said. # # #