South Africa: Civil Society warns SA on GM support

South African policy and legislation actively undermines the rule and
intention of the Cartegena Biosafety Protocol by promoting and supporting
the international trade in Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).

By Glenn Ashton.

An open letter to the South African Government, endorsed by prominent civil
society groups in South Africa, has been circulated and endorsed by South
African organisations, on the eve of the first Conference of the Parties on
the Cartegena Biosafety Protocol (BSP) being held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
from the 23 to 27 of February. The BSP is the internationally negotiated UN
supported agreement to manage the international movement of Genetically
Modified Organisms (GMOs).

This letter calls for the South African government to halt its active
undermining of the BSP by continuing to allow the promotion of the
international trade of GMOs using South Africa as a conduit. South Africa's
policy and its GMO Act (Act 15 of 1997) assist in facilitating the
international trade in GMOs and are contrary to the intentions of the BSP,
the words newest environmental agreement, although SA is a signatory and is
attending this summit to discuss its further implementation. A copy of this
letter is included below this release.

In a related example, South Africa can be shown to have been instrumental in
undermining the intent of the BSP by exporting huge amounts of GM cotton
seed, both insect and herbicide resistant - the latter not even permitted
for use in SA to date - to Columbia, where a highly dubious and irregular
process of authorisation was followed. This problem is outlined in the
briefing paper copied below entitled GMO Nexus: South Africa's GMO trade
with Latin America

South Africa is out of step with both the framework and intent of the BSP.
It is acting as a comprador in the international trade of GMOs by supporting
in secrecy, multinational corporations intent on forcing their products into
the international marketplace. This has occurred without public consultation
and before GMOs have been properly and transparently tested for human and
environmental effects in South Africa and elsewhere.

Co-ordinator of SAFeAGE, the SA Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering,
Glenn Ashton said, "This is a clear message that our government is clearly
not fulfilling its obligations by properly implementing the BSP. Our
authorities are effectively undermining both the letter and the intent of
the protocol. We reiterate our call to implement a moratorium on the use and
trade of GM crops and products until our regulatory system is properly
amended."

-------------------------------------------

Press release on behalf of SAFeAGE

The South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering.

Networking the interests of over 130 organisations and 250, 000 SA
consumers, calling for a moratorium on the growing, import and export of GE
crops and foods until they have been proven safe, desirable and necessary.

Community House, Salt River Road, Salt River, Cape Town, Republic of South
Africa. 7925.
Box 13477, Mowbray, 7955, Phone 021 447 8445.

For Further comment please contact;

Glenn Ashton; +27 (0) 21 789 1751 - SAFeAGE co-ordinator / spokesperson

Haidee Swanby; +27 (0) 083 520 1782 - Biowatch spokesperson
------------------------------------------------

End body press release; further related communications below.

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OPEN LETTER FROM SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY

ADDRESSED TO THE SOUTH AFRICAN DELEGATION ATTENDING THE FIRST MEETING OF THE
PARTIES TO THE CARTAGENA PROTOCOL ON BIOSAFETY, KUALA LAMPUR, MALAYSIA,
23 -27 FEBRUARY 2004.

STOP ALL TRADE IN GMOS NOW!

IMPLEMENT THE BIOSAFETY PROTOCOL NOW!

While we are aware that South Africa acceded to the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety (Biosafety Protocol) on the 8th August 2003, we note with disquiet
that the South African government has to date, failed to implement the
Biosafety Protocol. Instead, it has preferred to conduct its trade in
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) with its usual 'business as usual'
fervour, namely, expeditious authorisations under its Genetically Modified
Organisms Act (No 15 of 1997) in secret and without proper biosafety
oversight.

Adding insult to injury, the South African government, during November 2003,
the same month the Biosafety Protocol became binding on South Africa,
brazenly authorised the import of 40 749 kg of genetically modified (GM)
maize from Argentina; 40 000 kg of GM maize from the United States and 20
000 MT of soya beans from Argentina. Furthermore, during January 2004, it
authorised the import of a whopping 356 310 MT of GM maize from Argentina.

South Africa, the 'economic engine of Africa', imports large quantities of
GM food and feed. During the period January-June 2003, it authorised the
import of 124 874 tons of maize from Argentina. During September-October
2003, 14 535 MT of soyabeans were imported from Argentina. Uruguay, a new
entrant in the global GM commodities market, exported 31 836 MT of GM maize
during May 2003 to South Africa. These are but a few examples.

This conduct on the part of the South African government is unacceptable,
particularly since the authorisation procedures under South Africa's GMO Act
are largely modelled on the sub-standard U.S government's voluntary system,
where the genetic engineering corporations submit their own safety test
procedures for their products. We are equally outraged at the veil of
secrecy that envelops the trade in GMOs in South Africa, which locks the
public out of the process completely.

As a Party to the Biosafety Protocol, South Africa is engaging in the trade
in GMOs in a manner contrary to the objectives, principles and provisions of
the Biosafety Protocol, thereby placing its population and biodiversity at
risk. This unfettered influx of GM imports onto the South African market has
far-reaching socio-economic ramifications for South Africa's food security
strategies.

We especially remind the South African government that it is obliged in
terms of Article 23(1)(a) of the Biosafety Protocol, to establish mechanisms
for public participation such as public feedback and input into
decision-making and regulatory processes relating to the trade in GMOs, its
handling and use.

We expressly point out that Article 23(2) of the Biosafety Protocol
unequivocally establishes an obligation on South Africa as a Party to the
Biosafety Protocol to:

1.. Consult the public in the decision-making process regarding GMOs; and
2.. Make the results of such decisions available to the public.
In fact, the obligation to consult the public applies generally to all
decision-making processes regarding GMOs, including the making of decisions
on imports.

It is deeply ironic that the South Africa government, while celebrating 10
years of democracy, is clandestinely promoting the trade in GMOs that does
not enjoy the democratic buy-in from its citizens and where the implications
of accepting these unwanted products have never been properly or
transparently investigated.

We reject with utter contempt, the South African government's kow-towing to
the interests of transnational corporations dealing in GM crops and foods by
its consistent undermining of transparent governance in the trade and use of
GMOs.

WE DEMAND THAT THE SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT:

Stop all trade in GMOs with immediate effect and that a moratorium on such
trade is imposed as a matter of urgency.

Comply with the Biosafety Protocol and bring its biosafety legislation in
line at a minimum, with the international safety standards established by
the Biosafety Protocol and implement its Precautionary Principle. In
particular, we demand the full implementation of Article 23 of the Protocol.

Comply with the recommendation of the African Union Head of States Summit,
Maputo, July 2003, that the African Model Law on Safety in Biotechnology be
used a basis for biosafety regulation of GMOs.

Implement the recommendations of the African Union's Expert Committee on
Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Biosafety to work together with the African
Group to resolve the outstanding issues still to be negotiated under the
aegis of the Biosafety Protocol, especially the speedy establishment of a
comprehensive and robust liability and redress regime.

Cc: Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism: Mr Valli Moosa

Minister of Land and Agriculture: Ms Thoko Didiza

Minister of Health: Ms Manto Tshabalala-Msimang

SIGNED

Organisations

African Centre for Biosafety

Biowatch South Africa

Co-operative for Research and Education

Earthlife Africa, Johannesburg

Earthlife Africa, Ethekwini

Ecopeace

Eco Hope

Ekogaia Foundation

Environmental Justice Desk, Justice and Peace Department, SACBC

Dominican Sisters of St Catherine of Siena

Health Encounters

Herb Research Centre

Organic World

Permaculture Foundation of Western Cape

Safe Food Coalition

South African Freeze Alliance on Genetic Engineering

(SAFeAge)-Steering Committee

The Grail

The Seven O' Clock Club

Zululand Environmental Alliance

Individual Endorsements

Anthea Torr

Professor Benjamin Cousins Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies

University Western Cape

David Hallowes

Eleanor Rorich

Ethel Ross

Lee Cahill

Carin Malan

Nicci Ovendale

Ruth Hall, Programme for Land and Agrarian Studies,

University Western Cape

Wray White

Wendy Leeb (KNZ Legislature)

Wilfred Bohm

Dr William H.L Stafford, Advanced Centre for Applied Microbiology

Willie Meyer

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End letter from SA Civil Society

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Start TWN briefing on SA-Columbia trade in GM seed.

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Briefing by the Third World Network for the First Conference of the Parties
of the Cartegena Biosafety Protocol.

GMO Nexus: South Africa's GMO trade with Latin America

By Mariam Mayet (African Centre for Biosafety- South Africa) and Elizabeth
Bravo (Acción Ecológica - Ecuador)

South Africa is an important bridge for the unfettered trade in genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) between countries in the South. Its lax biosafety
legislation, untransparent authorisation processes and well-developed
infrastructure seem to have made it an irresistible target of the genetic
engineering industry. South Africa imports vast amounts of genetically
modified (GM) seeds and commodities from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay for
use on the South African domestic market as food and feed.

Interestingly, South Africa in turn exports large quantities of GM seeds to
South East Asia. It also exports GM cotton seeds to Colombia, a centre of
diversity of cotton. It is extremely disconcerting that South Africa exports
GM maize seeds for open field trials in Colombia in view of the fact that GM
maize is not authorised for import and environmental release in Colombia.

Of these countries, only South Africa and Colombia are Parties to the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (Biosafety Protocol).

South Africa's role in the global proliferation of GMOs

An examination of the huge bulk shipments and enormous amounts of import and
export permits granted by the South African government during 2003 and
January 2004, has led us to the inescapable conclusion that the land of
Southern countries is being abused to both grow GMOs for sale as commodities
and as experimental grounds for open field trials. In this geopolitical
scenario, South Africa acts as a critically important player in the global
proliferation of GMOs to developing countries.

The soil of South Africa is being used by Monsanto, Delta & Pineland and
Syngenta to trial new GMOs. Seeds are subsequently exported to Colombia, the
Philippines, Indonesia and Zimbabwe.

A small number of corporations control the international trade in GMOs
regardless of where they are being grown. For instance, Pioneer exports GM
seeds from Chile to be planted in South Africa. Handling agencies and other
importers such as Cargill, Seabord and Louis Dreyfus import GM soya and
maize from Argentina and Uruguay to sell in South Africa as food and feed.

Exporting GM cotton to a centre of diversity

Colombia is a centre of diversity of cotton. South Africa exported to
Colombia 131,250 kg of Bt cotton during June 2003. This large quantity of GM
seeds was intended for open field trials in Colombia. During July 2003,
South Africa also exported 4,500 kg of Roundup Ready cotton.

At the time, the authorisation process in Colombia was fraught with
irregularities. For instance, Monsanto's Bt cotton was approved for pre-
commercial purposes, no adequate environmental impact assessments were
conducted and approval was granted only after two field trials in a single
location. These trial studies were in any event, conducted and authorised by
Monsanto. Crucially, Monsanto was responsible for the final report about the
performance of Bt cotton upon which the decision for approval was based. A
Monsanto employee also acted as the vice president of the institution that
advised the government on the final authorisation of GM crops.

The South African government knew or ought to have known that there was
immense community resistance to GM cotton in Colombia. Surely, the Colombian
government must have been fully aware of this. Such resistance in fact
culminated in legal action being instituted by a Colombian NGO, Semillas
(which means 'seeds' in English) and other groups, which resulted in ban on
the import and environmental release of GM cotton. During October 2003, a
Colombian administrative tribunal suspended Monsanto's authorisation to
import, grow and test GM cotton.

The tribunal ruled that the import and testing of the GM cotton violated the
peoples' collective rights to a healthy environment and public health, as
well as consumers' right to choose and the right to public participation in
decisions that can affect the environment.

Biosafety First

We call on Argentina, Chile and Uruguay to ratify the Biosafety Protocol as
a matter of urgency.

South Africa is a Party to the Biosafety Protocol, but appears to be trading
in GMOs in a manner that is not consistent with the objectives, intention,
principles and provisions of the Biosafety Protocol. In particular, it is
trading in GMOs without taking due account of socio-economic considerations
as demanded by the Biosafety Protocol. Crucially, such trade is taking place
without adequate application of the Precautionary Principle, which is the
backbone of international biosafety regulation. The Principle is fully
enshrined in the Biosafety Protocol. The field trials of GMOs represent an
unprecedented experiment on natural ecosystems and species with an immensely
crude technology.

We demand that South Africa immediately stop its trade in GMOs and that it
fully implements its obligations under the Biosafety Protocol, at a minimum.
We furthermore demand that South Africa implements the recommendations of
the African Union at its Head of States Summit in Maputo, July 2003, that
the Organisation of African Unity Model Law on Safety in Biotechnology be
used as a model for biosafety regulation.

Glenn Ashton
Third World Network

Email: [email][email protected] Website: