Subject: First court order against Bt cotton in Colombia.
Date: Tuesday 04 November 2003 5:47 pm
From: Elizabeth Bravo <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
To: Phil Bereano <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>, Lim Li Lin <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>,
<This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>

First court order against Bt cotton in Colombia.

On 17th October 2003 the Court of Cundinamarca - Colombia,  judged against the Ministry of Environment Dwelling and Territorial Development and Monsanto, in relation with the introduction of Bt cotton in Colombia. The Ministry of Environment did not issued an Environmental License prior the introduction in the country of the biopesticide Bt cotton.

In its sentence the judge speaker Beatriz Martínez, orders to protect the collective rights to life in a healthy environment, to the public health, the freedom of consumption, to the participation of the community in the decisions that affect it and to the administrative morality.

The court ordered to suspend the authorization given by the ICA (Institute of Agricultural Research) for importing and planting of the genetically modified cotton in Colombia. It also ordered to the Ministry of Environment, to require  from Monsanto Colombian INC, to obtain a environmental license prior the importation and plating of  Bt cotton.

Additionally the Court sent the file to the office of the Nation's General Attorney, to initiate all the disciplinary investigations on the administrative procedures in relation with the introduction of cotton Bt in the country.