25 May 2010 | News | Food Sovereignty
Business opportunity
Peasants of Haiti demonstrate against Monsanto’s “humanitarian help”
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Monsanto corporation and the US embassy in Haiti decided to donate nearly 475 tons of GM corn to small farmers of the island, with the excuse of helping in the national reconstruction after the earthquake of January 12.
The joint measure caused the anger of the Haitian peasants, who are calling a national demonstration against it next June 5, to mark the Environment Day, activist
Iderle Brenus from the Peasant Movement of Papaye (MPP) told Real World Radio.
The MPP is a member of La Via Campesina.
The news of the controversial donation broke through an article written on May 10 by English religious man Jean-Yves Urfie, who warned that together with the “deadly gift” of GM seeds, Monsanto offered the Haitian government pesticides associated with them. “The earthquake in Haiti last January 12 has been a business opportunity for some”, Urfie wrote.
Meanwhile, Brenus recalled that more than 65% of the Haitian population depends on the countryside, although the local authorities have implemented policies aimed at improving the situation of small farmers, “they work for transnational corporations and against the Haitian people” said Brenus.
Photo: Real World Radio
