Mass spread of aspartame in the world’s food chain … channelling of the most dangerous toxic substances – known as dioxins – into the international chemicals’ industry … creation of the first atomic bomb during the second World War … production of the deadly defoliant gas “Agent Orange” during the Vietnam War … dominance of the most commercial herbicide of all time, “Roundup”, in agricultural production … promotion of the “Synthetic Bovine Growth Hormone” in the livestock production … tens of labour accidents within the international line of production of chemical substances … toxic contamination of the natural environmental, the local communities and indigenous populations in almost every corner of this planer … These are some of the most important – but certainly not the only ones – environmental, social and military crimes of one of the biggest multinational agrochemical corporations in the world, which was created in 1901 and since then has the U.S. as a base for its economic activities.
Its name: Monsanto.
Since then, Monsanto has managed to expand its corporate activities, with the result that Monsanto is today the biggest biotechnology corporation in the whole world. In only two decades, Monsanto managed to take under its control, 90% of the global production of Genetically Modified Organisms. These GMOs, as they are widely known, contaminate the genetic chain and lead to the diminution of the planet’s biological diversity, the increase in the use of agrochemical substances and harmful toxic substances and put public health at risk. The latest is most prominent for local communities and indigenous populations who border with GMO cultures which tend to be in poorer and more developed countries. GMOs lead to gradual reduction of agricultural production when compared to conventional and organic ones, but it also leads to an increasing cost of production for the farmers and the livestock producers eventually leading to the control of the international food and the aggravation of poverty, the impoverishment and malnutrition of the lower and poorer social classes.
At the same time, Monsanto and the rest of the biotechnology corporations (such as Syngenta, DuPont, Bayer-BASF and Pioneer) are trying to promote and sell their destructive products, with the pretext of improving and increasing the world’s food production, in a supposed attempt to contribute in addressing the worldwide poverty and hunger crisis. Since the aggravation of poverty and lack of nutrition is nothing but the inherent fabrication of global capitalism and particularly of an unequal system of production, distribution and consumption
of basic goods, we are not deceived by any biotechnology tale. GMOs, not only do they not increase access to land, food and income of the poorest and of the lower classes, but on the contrary, they lead to the inevitable and definite subjugation, depriving them from what is most basic for their survival. Their own land and food. GMOs’ produced are not produced from and are not intended for the poor and weak of this planet like they want us to believe. The only ones who are in reality the winners of this kind of worldwide food production and distribution system is the elite of the biotechnology and agrochemical giants.
So, we resist against the biopiracy and the patenting of seeds and other forms of life. We stand for the right of simple people and the indigenous populations to safeguard their seeds, their land, the ecosystems and their biodiversity. We fight to overthrow the worldwide capitalist system, so that the worldwide food production will fulfil the needs of the people and the planet, and not of big corporations and the capital. We fight for land and freedom, for food security and autonomy.
CAPITALISM IS NOT OUR FUTURE
WE WILL BE NOBODY’S SLAVE
Syspeirosi Atakton Saturday,
25 Μay 2013
World Day of Action Against Monsanto
translation department of Syspirosi Atakton 