In 2002, the Colombian government
authorized Monsanto's GM Bt cotton for
“precommercial” purposes. The
authorization, granted by the relevant
agricultural authorities, was the result of
a process full of irregularities. There
were no adequate environmental impact
assessments, and the approval was granted
after only two field trials in a single
location.
Moreover, the role of Monsanto in the
authorization reflects a biased
decisionmaking process. Monsanto authored
the studies and the final report about the
performance of the Bt cotton, and organized
the field trials. In addition, a Monsanto
employee was the vice president of the
institution that advised the government on
the final authorization of GM crops.
Colombian civil society was uneasy about
the impacts of Bt cotton in Colombia ,
particularly fearing the effects on native
varieties as the country is a center of
diversity for cotton. Therefore, Colombian
NGOs initiated a popular legal action
against the government's decision in
February 2003.
In October 2003, a Colombian
administrative tribunal suspended
Monsanto's authorization to import, grow
and test genetically modified cotton. The
tribunal ruled that the import and testing
of this GM cotton violated the collective
rights to a healthy environment and public
health, as well as the consumer's right to
choose and the right to public
participation in decisions that can affect
the environment.
The tribunal agreed with the plaintiffs
that the lack of an environmental license
granted by the Environment Ministry and the
absence of the required Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA, which Monsanto
should have prepared) contravene Colombian
environmental laws.
The tribunal ordered the Environment
Ministry to produce an EIA in accordance
with the law, and charged Monsanto with
carrying out such an assessment. Finally,
the tribunal ordered the Public Defender's
Office to investigate the process due to
potential corruption.
This decision constitutes an important
victory for environmentalists in Colombia ,
as it is the country's first court decision
on the introduction of GMOs. It also
reinforces the right to public
participation in administrative decisions
that can affect the environment, human
health and the livelihoods of Colombian
people.
source:
Semillas Colombia :
www.biodiversidadla.org/article/view/3866
[in Spanish]
more information
:
Friends of the Earth Colombia:
www.censat.org
[in
Spanish]
