Grim Reaper stalks NZ embassy in London to protest Govt stand on terminator
The Grim Reaper appeared in front of the New Zealand Embassy in London this morning, with a banner protesting the NZ Government's refusal to oppose Terminator technology.
The protestors held a banner in front of the embassy reading "NZ: ban GE Terminator seeds now" and distributed hundreds of leaflets to passers-by in the London rush hour.
The protestors are part of a world wide network of concerned citizens who care about the 1.4 billion people across the world who depend on farm-saved seed for survival. Terminator, sterile seed technology, would put an end to this practice and make farmers buy their seed every year from seed companies.
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New Zealand, along with only Canada and Australia, is supporting the lifting of a defacto ban agreed by Governments in 2000 which stopped farm trials of terminator technology because of the threat this technology poses. It is facing the wrath of the developing world on this issue as the Convention on Biological Diversity talks continue in Brazil. 300 environmental and farmers groups from across the world have signed an international petition to ban Terminator.
New Zealand is arguing that Terminator ought to be considered on a "case by case" basis but this approach is being slammed as the thing which could undermine - and eventually eliminate - the defacto ban.
"New Zealand advertises itself as 100% pure but that’s clearly a complete sham. It's a case of "I'm alright jack" where so-called clean, green New Zealand doesn't seem to care about what it unleashes on the rest of the world. This is a clear case of double standards and New Zealand completely ignoring its international development obligations," said one of the protestors, Graham Thompson.
"We call on New Zealand to do the right environmental thing and oppose Terminator technology in any form, including its so-called case-by-case basis."
For information: Graham Thompson ++44 7932 842 266
Comments
Re: Grim Reaper stalks NZ embassy in London to protest Govt stan
how fucking embaressing. Our so-called leaders should be sacked!!
Wake up Helen Clark. The world will not stand for 'our' neo-liberal politics and anti-democratic bullshit!
Boycott NZ products. We want a sustainable local economy anyway...
Re: Grim Reaper stalks NZ embassy in London to protest Govt stan
So much for liberal Labour Party supporters saying that our government is a responsible international citizen.
Don't let the British do the protesting against our government for us. We need to do some ourselves!
Re: Grim Reaper stalks NZ embassy in London to protest Govt stan
At present GE soy is spreading throughout south america contaminating soy crops - in a relatively short time non GE soy will be pretty dificult to get hold of. In Asia their is a danger that the GE rice thats spreading may wipe out the many thousands of strands of wild and domesticated rice that are endemic to small areas. With this kind of contaminaiton endangering the diversity and hence the stability of these staple crops shouldnt a technology which would stop the escape of GE technology be welcomed. Some enlightened debate by the campaigners would help :)
Re: Grim Reaper stalks NZ embassy in London to protest Govt stan
Nosferati Clark and the Grim Reaper - could they be related?
Re: Grim Reaper stalks NZ embassy in London to protest Govt stan
""""""""how fucking embaressing."""
50 years of AGENT ORANGE and your worried about some silly seeds? You "kiwis" don't know when to be embarassed, let alone how to spell embarrassed.
Re: Grim Reaper stalks NZ embassy in London to protest Govt stan
Bloody great work you who did this in London!!
NZ must be made to feel the heat for backing the nastiest of GM technologies and bacing the most extreme of the US biotech industry by arguing case-by-case use of Terminator technology. All praise to you British activists!
Re: Grim Reaper stalks NZ embassy in London to protest Govt stan
Nice work guys
Re: Grim Reaper stalks NZ embassy in London to protest Govt stan
If GE is spreading like wild fire(in South america) as some of the below comments suggest then wouldn't it be a huge market in NZ to be able to say that we are completely GE Free, well I guess thats wishfull thinking with the pack of Fishguts for brain's leaders we have!
Seems Like this is just another battle with the powers that be, all they are seeing is the $$ signs, get some prespective Helen! can I get an email address of the person/department/organisation who represents NZ in the Curitiba, Brazil convention so I can send them my thoughts on the matter?