GMW: Activists Destroy GM Crops In The Netherlands

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GMW: Activists Destroy GM Crops In The Netherlands

" GM WATCH " <info

Sun, 28 Aug 2005 12:08:21 +0100

 

 

 

 

GM WATCH daily

http://www.gmwatch.org

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1.Activists Destroy GM Crops In The Netherlands

2.ANTI-GM PROTESTS SUPPRESSED WORLD-WIDE

 

COMMENT

 

Note the final sentence of the first article below which links people

who pull up GM plants in the Netherlands with Islamic fundamentalists

and neo-Nazis.

 

To put that into context: neo-Nazi skinheads in the Netherlands stand

accused of brutal assaults and even murder, while the killing of Dutch

film-maker Theo van Gogh lead to headlines such as:

 

" 'Islamic fundamentalist' held over killing of filmmaker "

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1342698,00.html

 

If the Dutch government really is making that link, then it appears to

be part of a growing pattern typified by the Danish government's

prosecution of Greenpeace under anti-terrorism laws introduced after

9/11.

Their crime? Placing an anti-GM flag in a corporate office - an entirely

non-violent act.

 

A spokesman for Nordic Greenpeace commented, " We were trying to bring

attention to a hidden fact - that Danish pigs are fed genetically

engineered soy - which is information 98% of the Danish population

says it

wants. Most major changes against unjust and unpopular laws in the last

century have been achieved by these methods of civil disobedience. They

are the mark of a free society. "

http://www.adbusters.org/blogs/Something_Rotten_in_Denmark.html

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1.Activists Destroy GM Crops In The Netherlands

Associated Press, August 25, 2005

http://www.agbios.com/main.php?action=ShowNewsItem & id=6782

 

Activists in the Netherlands have destroyed a field of genetically

modified potatoes, a biotechnology company said; the latest in a

string of

such attacks.

 

Avenue LLC spokesman Harry Jasken said the crop in a northern Dutch

province was poisoned with a chemical weed killer in late July, and

police

have no suspects.

 

Direct financial damage amounted to several thousands of euros

(dollars), he said, but the company could lose millions if its

experiment is

derailed. Avenue's project is one of four in the Netherlands that have

been granted permits by the Agriculture Ministry.

 

Another of eight fields in the Avenue experiment was destroyed last

year.

 

A message posted Monday on the Indymedia Web site reported the attack

in a message signed by the " Jackrabbit Support Group. "

 

" Not a single experiment has taken place in Belgium or Britain this

year due to many such attacks, " the message said. " That's possible here

too! The attacks will continue! "

 

When an Avebe field was destroyed in July 2004, an unnamed group

published a message in local media claiming that " by the last full

moon we

sabotaged a thousand genetically manipulated seed potatoes. "

 

" They're dead and no longer form a danger for humans and the

environment. We hope that this makes clear Avebe's attempts to play

God are

pointless. Stop the gen-tech madness! "

 

In November, an unknown group killed 400 genetically modified apple

trees belonging to the country's agricultural University of Wageningen.

 

Wednesday's message on Indymedia claimed that more trees in Wageningen

had been destroyed and others were " gnawed by jackrabbits. "

 

Jasken said the potatoes in its experiment use only potato genes, and

the potatoes are destined for use in textiles and paper, not for food or

animal feed.

 

" It used to be that environmentalists were people you could talk to, "

he said. " The people who did this are more radical, they just do what

they want. "

 

The Dutch Agriculture Ministry has tight guidelines governing

experiments with genetically modified organisms, and the public

approval process

takes years. The ministry has threatened to grant future permits in

secret if attacks continue.

 

The Dutch government said in a policy statement earlier this week that

small, hard-core groups of Dutch Islamic fundamentalists, neo-Nazis and

environmental activists bear similarities, and that it plans new

measures to undermine their societal support.

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2.ANTI-GM PROTESTS SUPPRESSED WORLD-WIDE

GM Watch 17 May 2005

http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=5248

 

It's not exactly hard to spot the pattern.

 

Students at the University of Lancaster in the UK

peacefully protest against a " corporate venturing " conference on campus

involving, amongst others, Lord Sainsbury, GM firm Dupont, arms

manufacturer BAE Systems and Shell, the oil giant responsible for

environmental devastation in the Niger delta. 5 months later the

protesters

suddenly find themselves facing charges of aggravated trespass carrying a

possible jail sentence.

 

In Denmark Greenpeace protesters go into a company building to hang up

a banner protesting against GM crops and eight months later

find the organisation is to be prosecuted under anti-terrorism laws.

 

Last year protesters in St Louis, who had come to

demonstrate at the Monsanto-backed World Agricultural Forum (WAF)

taking place in the city, found themselves arrested and held for hours

before they even had the chance to protest. They're now bringing a legal

case against the mayor and police chief for conspiring to stifle their

protests.

 

In Thailand, GM protesters find themselves facing 5

years of prison for exposing an environmental crime involving illegal

contamination of innocent farmers' papaya crops.

 

For more information on the Lancaster 6 and how to protest:

http://www.free-webspace.biz/GeorgeFox/index.html

To protest what's happening in Thailand:

http://act.greenpeace.org/1114629368/index_html

 

For articles/links to articles on all the above incidents:

http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=5248

 

 

 

 

 

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