Stop Biopiracy in Mexico

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

>From: "Mexico Solidarity Network" <msn at mexicosolidarity.org>
>To: <msn at mexicosolidarity.org>
>Subject: Stop Biopiracy in Mexico
>Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2000 11:34:34 -0500
>
>This message forwarded as a service of the Mexico Solidarity Network
>Tel: 773-583-7728
>email: msn at mexicosolidarity.org
>
>"Stop Biopiracy in Mexico!"
>Indigenous Peoples' Organizations from Chiapas Demand Immediate Moratorium
>Mexican Government Says No to Bioprospecting Permits
>
>Over one year ago, eleven indigenous peoples' organizations under the
>umbrella of the Council of Traditional Indigenous Doctors and Midwives from
>Chiapas (Consejo de Medicos y Parteras Indigenas Tradicionales de Chiapas)
>demanded the suspension of the International Collaborative Biodiversity
>Group-Maya (ICBG-Maya) - a US government-funded project aimed at the
>bioprospecting of their medicinal plants and traditional knowledge. After
>one year of fruitless talks with the ICBG-Maya and Mexican authorities, the
>Council held a press conference on September 12, 2000 to again demand the
>termination of the project.
>
>The Council believes that indigenous people have been manipulated both by
>the Mexican authorities and the ICBG-Maya project leaders - the University
>of Georgia and ECOSUR in Chiapas. Along with the suspension of this
>particular project, the Council is demanding an immediate moratorium on ALL
>bioprospecting projects in Mexico. The moratorium should only be lifted
>once the indigenous people and Mexican society have had the opportunity to
>evaluate the impact of these projects, and once appropriate laws protecting
>genetic resources and traditional knowledge are in place. The Council's
>demands were supported by over 100 indigenous peoples', farmers' and other
>civil society organizations attending the seminar "Bioprospecting or
>Biopiracy?" held 14-15 September in Mexico City.
>
>In late September the Council learned that the Mexican Government has
>denied the ICBG-Maya permission to conduct bio-assays (that is, analysis of
>active compounds) on plants collected in Chiapas. For RAFI, the clear
>opposition of local indigenous groups to this project is ample reason for
>the research team to withdraw from the state of Chiapas. Now that the
>Mexican government has denied the ICBG permission to conduct bio-assays,
>the ICBG has even more reason to terminate the project. When will ICBG go
>home?
>
>After two years of intense local opposition, the ICBG Maya has failed to
>win the confidence of local indigenous groups or regulatory approval from
>the Mexican government. There is no consensus among the peoples of Chiapas
>that the Project should proceed. The ICBG-Maya, including the University of
>Georgia, ECOSUR and Molecular Nature should give immediate attention to an
>exit strategy and termination of the Project.
>
>
>*	*	*
>
>
>For additional background information on the Chiapas "Bioprospecting" ICBG
>Project, please see the following documents on RAFI's web site:
>http://www.rafi.org
>
>"Biopiracy Project in Chiapas, Mexico Denounced by Mayan Indigenous
>Groups," 1 December 1999.
>
>"Messages from the Chiapas 'Bioprospecting' Dispute," 22 December 1999.
>
>"Biopiracy - RAFI's Sixth Annual Update," RAFI Communique, May/June, 2000.
>
>For additional information contact:
>
>Silvia Ribeiro, silvia at rafi.org
>Julie Delahanty, julie at rafi.org
>Pat Mooney, rafi at rafi.org