from Jakarta Post article below:
They set fire to one hectare of transgenic cotton plantation and poisoned another on Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, they had destroyed three hectares of the plantations.
The farmers have also demanded an explanation from the South Sulawesi governor as to why he allowed South Sulawesi to become the testing ground for the controversial technology which turned out to be a failure.
PT Monsanto has assured the farmers that each hectare would produce about four tons of cotton every harvest season. But farmers reported that they reaped less than half a ton.
"We have been duped," said a farmer, Muhammad Amir.
---
from "People's Caravan 2000" <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Dear Friends
Three Items:
1. SUPPORT the NGO Coalition on Biosafety and Food Safety court case against Bt cotton against the Indonesian government and Monsanto by writing to the Indonesian government TODAY. Sample letter and contact details below.
2. Angry Farmer Burnt Bollgard cotton - Monsanto' sponsored Cultivated Area in South Sulawesi (September 14)
3. Transgenic cotton irks farmers (September 15)
Regards
Sarah Hindmarsh
Genetic Engineering Campaign Programme Officer
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1. SUPPORT the NGO Coalition on Biosafety and Food Safety court case against Bt cotton against the government and Monsanto by writing to the Indonesian government TODAY.
Sample letter and contact details below.
THIS IS URGENT## According to the first article below the court case decision is to be made within the next two weeks##
The following action alert in support of legal action taken by an NGO coalition against the Indonesia Government regarding BT cotton has been circulating for some weeks now. However, please find below the full contact details for the relevant Indonesia government offal's and an addition to the original sample letter - Potential Socio-Economic effects to Indonesian farmers from the adoption of GM Cotton.
INDONESIAN NGOS NEED YOUR HELP URGENTLY!!! MONSANTO INTERVENTION MAKES IT A DEFENDANT IN THE INDONESIAN BT COTTON CASE, WHILE PESTS ATTACK THE BT COTTON AND EXPERT WITNESSES ARE OBJECTED TO
Dear Friends,
The Indonesian NGO Coalition on Biosafety and Food Safety is urgently seeking your help and support to stop the commercial production of Monsanto' s Bt cotton in Indonesia. Currently, the NGO coalition has launched a legal dispute over the Ministry of Agriculture Decree on the limited release of Monsanto's Bt cotton in South Sulawesi. Coalition, which consists of 72 NGO is coalition is seeking a legal measure at the State Administrative Court to revoke the agriculture ministerial decree No.107/Kpts/KB.430/2/2001 that allows a limited one year commercial production of Monsanto's Bt cotton (under the commercial name NuCOTN 35B) in seven regencies of South Sulawesi. The legal suit is launched on the basis that the no biosafety safety tests have been made public, the farmers have not informed of potential negative effects and that recommendations by NGOs that independent risk assessment should be conducted by independent parties have been rejected.
The first court session was held on 21 June 2001, in which surprisingly, PT Monagro Kimia, the Indonesian subsidiary of Monsanto, wanted to be included as one the parties in the legal dispute. On June 19, Hutapea, Monsanto's lawyer appealed for the right to intervene to become one of the disputing parties in the case. They cited the fact that the company has a stake in this case because: (a) it supplies the transgenic seeds, (b) it is a proponent of the Bollgard Bt cotton (c) if the ministerial decree is revoked, the company will substantially be disadvantaged. This shows the close collusion between the Ministry of Agriculture and the company. The court has granted this appeal and now Monsanto is one of the defendants together with a dubious organization called the Cotton Farmer Association, whose members are only 29 persons. So the court case now is the NGO coalition against three defendants - Ministry of Agriculture, Monsanto and the Cotton Farmer Association. During the last court session on August 2, 2001, Monsanto objected to the international expert witnesses that the NGOs submitted to the judges. The decision will be made next week (August 9, 2001) whether the judges will allow for foreign experts to testify. Meanwhile, the two-month-old Bt cotton plants in Balleanging village, Ujungloe district in Bulukumba (South Sulawesi) are infested by spodotera (leaf damaging pest) and helicoverpa armigera (boll damaging pest) as reported by the local newspaper Fajar, 17 June 2001. This proves the empty promises made in the beginning, where the company guaranteed that the Bt cotton is resistant towards Helicoverpa armigera; in fact this characteristic was cited as the main reason for publishing the Ministerial decree as mentioned above.
Indonesian NGOs will keep fighting the Bt cotton both inside and outside the court. During court sessions, farmer groups usually stage demonstrations against the transgenic cotton as well as appealing for moratorium on the release of all transgenics into the environment. The court session is held every Thursday and the judges promised a speedy process as they consider this as a very serious social case that will affect the lives of numerous farmers.
THE NGO COALITION URGENTY NEED YOUR SUPPORT. PLEASE WRITE LETTERS ASKING FOR THE REVOCATION OF THE ABOVE MINISTERIAL DECREE, CITING AS MANY ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACTS AS POSIBBLE and CITING MONSANTO'S OFTEN INTERFERENCE WITH A COUNTRY'S POLICY. WRITE TO:
Please send a notification once you have sent the letters to : Secretariat of NGO Coalition on Biosafety and Food Safety Jl. Kelapa Hijau No.99, Jagakarsa, Jakarta 12620, INDONESIA Phone: 62-21-7873169 - Fax: 62-21-7873169 e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sample Text for the letter to fax to the Indonesian Government
PLEASE FAX:
1. Madam Megawati Soekarnoputri President of the Republic of Indonesia Presidential Merdeka Palace Jl. Veteran No. 16, Jakarta Pusat Indonesia Fax: 62-21-34832557
2. Mr. Bungaran Saragih The Minister of Agriculture Jl. Harsono RM. No. 3, Pasar Minggu, Jakarta Selatan-Indonesia Fax: 62-21-7883-3066
cc:
1. Mr. Hamzah Haz, Vice-President of the Republic of Indonesia. Fax: +62-21-381-0104
2. Mr. Nabiel Makarim, Minister of Environment. Fax: +62-21-858-0101
3. Mr. Akbar Tandjung, Speaker of House of Representatives Republic Indonesia. Fax: +62-21-573-4804
4. H.Z.B Palaguna, Governor of South Sulawesi. Fax: + 62-0411-453-489
5. H.M. Aminsyam, Speaker of South Sulawesi House of Representatives. Fax:+ 62-411-453-567
September [], 2001
Dear [President of the Republic of Indonesia] [Minister of Agriculture]:
We [your group/organizations name] share the concern of Indonesian NGOs about the agriculture ministerial decree No.107/Kpts/KB.430/2/2001 that allows a limited one year commercial production of Monsanto's Bt cotton (under the commercial name NuCOTN 35B) in seven regencies of South Sulawesi. We are concerned that the decree was issued without long-term, extensive and complete environmental and health studies in Indonesia. The issue of genetic engineering has become a major world wide debate at this point, particularly in terms of ecological and health impacts. We recognize Indonesia is a mega biodiversity country whose genetic resources need to be protected for the welfare of the people. A hasty decision to plant genetically engineered crops may have an impact on biodiversity. Although Indonesia is not the center of origin or the center of diversity for cotton, this may set a precedent that neglects environmental risk assessment and management for future releases of genetically modified crops. We are also concerned about the social and economic impacts of planting crops that are monopolized by multinational companies such as Monsanto.
We also have information about the behavior of companies such as Monsanto that tries to unfairly influence national policies and judicial systems, while keeping many important scientific information secret from the public and from governments (CITE the situation in your country or that you know of) Scientists worldwide have expressed concerns and critiques about the commercial production of GMO (genetically modified organism) crops for several reasons, mainly the environmental and health impacts.
The following are potential environmental risks that have been scientifically documented, researched or discussed in areas using GMO's (CITE SOME SCIENTIFIC PAPERS):
- Contamination of local varieties with foreign genes that will prevent any possible recall of the GMO's should there be a problem noticed in the future
- Insect resistance to the Bio-pesticide Bt. used by organic agriculture
- Adverse effects to non-target insect species
- Adverse effects to non-target bird and mammal species
- Horizontal gene transfer to wild relatives
- Loss of plant bio-diversity
- The creation of super weeds (weeds that are resistant to herbicide)
- The creation of super insects (insects that have greater resistance to pesticides)
- Adverse effects to the composition of soil micro organisms in areas grown with GMO crops
- Limited, if any, economic benefit to farmers who use GMO crops
- An increase in the amount of pesticides used
- Insufficient short and long term environmental testing on GMO crops
- Insufficient short long term environmental testing on GMO crops specifically in the Tropics
- Present data from company research is unavailable to the general public
- There has been no environmental assessment on GMO crops in Indonesia
- Conversion of food growing areas to cash-crops
- Cause and inability to grow truly organic food
- Crop failures such as with Monsanto's Round UpT Ready Cotton products, as seen in USA.
- It is not clear who is legally responsible in the case of adverse environmental effects in the future
- Growers of GMO crops in Indonesia have not been informed of the potential risks outlined in this list
[List other environmental concerns]
Further concerns include the detrimental effects and potential impacts on human health, including:
- An increase in antibiotic resistance to consumers of GMO Crops
- An increase in allergic reactions to consumers of GMO Crops, and death due to these reactions
- Insufficent short and long term health testing on GMO crops
- Insufficent short and long term health testing on GMO fed livestock products
- Indonesians are more like likely to consume products that are used for livestock feed in other countries where GMO's are produced
- No specific health test have been done on Indonesians in relation to comsuming GMO crops
- Consumers have the right to know and chose whether to consume GMO products
- The inadvertent formation of super viruses and new viruses
- A decrease in nutritional value of GMO products
- There has been no concensus amoung scientists that GMO products are safe for human consumption
- It is not clear who is legally responsible for future cases of adverse health effects
- Consumers have not been informed of the potential health effects outlined in this list
[List other human health concerns]
Potential Socio-Economic effects to Indonesian farmers from the adoption of GM Cotton include:
- Loss of control of the cotton producing system in Indonesia
- Even though after one year the Monsanto study said that GMO Cotton cut pesticide use therefore casing greater income to farmers, this is only only short term and after 4 years of growth in the US this was not the case at all.
- GM Cotton will cause of a financial dependence on Monsanto by the Cotton farmers
- GM Cotton promotes large scale planting in Indonesia to much higher degree than Cotton was grown before, this will cause the loss of food producing land to Cotton and have a serious negative effect on food security - The crop was developed for large Cotton producers in the US and was not developed for the specific needs of the small cotton farmers in Indonesia
- Cotton IPM (Integrated Pest Management) has huge potential in both the short and long term, and will use local resources/Knowledge and labour and is sustainable for similar results as GM Cotton is been promoted and it just hasn't been developed yet.
- The farmers have no freedom to pursue other markets for their cotton as, all the harvest is purchased by Monsanto.
- Many countries will not accept GM products and require labelling for GM products in the future this could include Clothing and other cotton products, therefore, causing the demand the market for Cotton to collapse, further disadvantaging Indonesian cotton farmers.
- Cotton seeds are significantly more expensive
- Loss of the ability to intercrop in a more sustainable agriculture system
- GM Cotton promotes monoculture which is the most dangerous form of agriculture for pests and disease and should an outbreak occur the farmers will be in serious debt to Monsanto for the intial input costs - Round Up Ready (TM) cotton another Monsanto product in the US caused localized crop failure. Will the company pay off the farmers in Indonesia like they did in the US when this happened there?
-GMO Cotton can not been considered Organic therefore shutting off the growing world market for Organic Cotton.
[Additonal lists of Socio-Economic conserns can be added to the letter, and expanded on if you would like.]
We understand that the bt cotton release has been disputed by a coaliton of Indonesian NGOs in the Indonesian State Administrative Court. We realize this is a decision for the Indonesian legal system to finalize and we are pleased to see that events surrounding this court case are being noted internationally. We are confident that the Indonesian government will consider the health and well being of its people as well as the preservation of its internationally recognized, unique natural environment.
But the issue of genetic engineering cannot be settled in the courts only. We would recommend that independent researchers complete long term ecological and health impact studies and that all the data and results are made public to the people of Indonesia before your government passes any legislation of this type. We would be more than happy to supply you with more information on this issue.
Thank you for you consideration of our support
Signed:
[Group/Organization and Contact information]
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INDONESIA: Angry Farmer Burnt Bollgard cotton - Monsanto' sponsored Cultivated Area in South Sulawesi
Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 11:02:05 +0700
From: Russ Cullinane <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Pessimism shadowing a group of lawyers of NGOs coalition for food safety and food security, when submitting a written conclusion remark to the state administrative court, whilst, almost at the same time, a flock of villagers carrying out violent civil disobedience against the Monsanto' sponsored Bollgard cotton in South Sulawesi, by burnt its plants in one planting area.
In southeast part of South Sulawesi province, a traditional ritual carried out by member of cummunity, named Kajang, some villager with black headbans and swords, agitated angrily. "Go to Hell Monsanto..!" Banner: "Damn you Monsanto" with several scarecrows, which, then burnt, in the cultivated Bt cotton area located in village named Desa Bontobiraeng, Kecamatan Kajang, Bulukumba on Thursday 13 September 2001.
Around two tons of rough cotton burnt by a hundred of villagers. This was the first action to burn around 50 hectares of cultivated Bt cotton. As reported by Judy Rahrdjo, a vice chair of the South Sulawesi Indonesia Consumer organization, in the coming days, more cultivated area of Bt cotton will be burnt.
Some of Bt cotton growers revealed they just got around 500 kilograms per hectare, meanwhile Monsanto repeatly announced that cotton will able producing three tons per hectare. Meanwhile a women has claimed some part of her body got itches for almost 10 days when managing cultivating cotton. Then, she stopped it. On the other hand, some of them revealed, the provincial officer of directorate general plantation of department of agriculture in a letter directed to governor have blamed that village aparatus and contra-transgenic group have had put pests: Spodoptera litura, and empoasca to cultivated Bt cotton. This naive scapegoat scheme of the Soeharto regime seems continues.
During violent civil disobedience, farmers have also declared demand that Bollgard cotton, as well as other transgenic crops, must stop be growing in South Sulawesi.
On the other hand, last week it was reported, Boolgard cotton found in other regency, named Polmas. YLKSS has alerted it to mass media, but the government radio broadcating system, RRI has reported a contra argument from member of the evaluation team, there is no other Bollgard cotton growing except in seven regencies.
It may added, on 7 August 2001, a contra-Transgenic Activist Arrested after a Visiting of Indonesian Parliament. Andi Mappasomba, an activist of NGO, Yayasan Pendidikan Rakyat Bulukumba, South Sulawesi, arrested by Bantaeng Resort-Police, South Sulawesi soon after a hearing between a member of Commission III Indonesian Parliament (DPR RI) and local council-government in Bantaeng, August 7 2001. A member of Indonesian Parliament was taking visiting to Kaloling village, Bantaeng, to see transgenic cotton (cotton Bt), that had launched and promoted by Trans National Corporations Monsanto-based St. Louis, USA.
About 100 Bantaeng farmer responded that visiting by taking demonstration to refuse transgenic plant in Bantaeng. At 12 p.m., a member of Indonesian Parliament that accompanied by local council-government were having a hearing concerned about transgenic cotton that now have been emerged to be a controversial issue.
In South Sulawesi Bt cotton is being pushed by local government officials. As reported by NGOs, the Bupati (regent or district head) of Bulukumba said he would "instruct" all his colleagues down to village heads on the benefits of Bt cotton for farmers. The head of the local plantations office said that the people of Bulukumba should be proud because they were a priority Bt cotton area and that extension workers should be reminded to recommend Bt cotton, not Kanesia 7.
Bollgard cotton seed was delivered five weeks after the Minister of Agriculture issued a decree (No. 107/2001) permitting limited sales of GM cotton crop from plantations in seven districts in South Sulawesi - Takalar, Gowa, Bantaeng, Bulukumba, Bone, Soppeng and Wajo. PT Monagro has already conducted field trials of GM cotton over a 500 hectare area in Bantaeng and Bulukumba districts. According to media and NGO reports, the harvested crop has already been sold on local and foreign markets. The sales were apparently conducted as if it was a perfectly standard crop.
The February decree was issued on the quiet, without public consultation. Even other ministries appear to have been kept in the dark. At that time, Environment Minister Sonny Keraf said the decree was "trade politics". An editorial in the Jakarta Post characterised it as a sad case of when "business interests .prevail over environmental concerns".
A group of Indonesian NGOs - ICEL, Konphalindo, PAN Indonesia, YKLI and YLKSS - is in the legal battle proceedings to have the decree annulled. They say it was issued hastily, without consideration of the consequences of using transgenic products; it violated Indonesia's environmental law (23/1997) because no environmental impact assessment was conducted and because the public's right to information and to be involved in decision-making was not upheld. The decree allows for "limited" sales of the cotton, they point out, yet there is no restriction on the area which can be planted within the seven regencies.
Next two weeks, final decision will be announced by the court.
Edited by Riza VT
Source: Judy Rahardjo (YLKSS), chair S. Sulawesi
PAN Indonesia Jl. Persada Raya No. 1 Menteng Dalam Jakarta 12870 Telp&fax: (062-21) 8296545
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Transgenic cotton irks farmers
Date: Sun, 16 Sep 2001 16:49:58 +0700
From: Russ Cullinane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
National News - September 15, 2001
Jakarta Post: WWW.thejakartapost.com <http://www.thejakartapost.com/> MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi
(JP): Farmers in the province have proved that genetically modified cotton is not as productive as scientists and capitalists have always claimed.
Farmers in the village of Kajang in the Bulukumba regency, about 230 kilometers south of Makassar, have burned down their plantations in a show of discontent towards PT Monsanto, the supplier of transgenic cotton seeds imported from Australia. They set fire to one hectare of transgenic cotton plantation and poisoned another on Thursday. Earlier on Wednesday, they had destroyed three hectares of the plantations.
The farmers have also demanded an explanation from the South Sulawesi governor as to why he allowed South Sulawesi to become the testing ground for the controversial technology-which turned out to be a failure.
PT Monsanto has assured the farmers that each hectare would produce about four tons of cotton every harvest season. But farmers reported that they reaped less than half a ton.
"We have been duped," said a farmer, Muhammad Amir.
The company's claim that transgenic cotton is highly resistant to pests and disease has also fallen short of farmer's expectations.
According to Amir, 150 hectares have been affected by the emphoasca disease in the village of Bontobiraeng, which is part of the 1,500 hectares of transgenic cotton plantation in the Bulukumba regency.
Plants affected by emphoasca show symptoms such as the stem turning reddish and a loss of fertility. The cotton also causes allergic reactions in some farmers, Amir said.
PT Monsanto spokesman Tri Soekirman said he was aware of the farmers' protests and planned to visit the plantation. (27)
_________________________________
People's Caravan 2000
This information service is facilitated by PAN AP Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific P.O. Box 1170, 10850, Penang, Malaysia. Tel: (604) 657 0271/ 656 0381 Fax (604) 657 7445 E-mail: 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. Webpage: www.poptel.org.uk/panap/caravan.htm