Children Protest in Front of Offices of the World Food Program

Acción Ecológica 4may01

They demand that they do not use genetically engineered foods in the food aid programs.

Ecuadorian children from the organization "Mi Cometa," and Accion Ecologica carrying posters that said "We do not want bioengineered food in the programs of food aid."

After a judicial inspection of the storage buildings, (where months ago there were genetically engineered soy beans destined for the programs of infant food aid.) and, did not find genetically engineered soy beans; a group of Ecuadorian children from the organization "Mi Cometa," joined by members from organizations such as Accion Ecologica went to the offices of the World Food Program, carrying posters that said "We do not want bioengineered food in the programs of food aid."

In the month of February of this year, the organization Accion Ecologica sent samples of the products that are distributed in the Programs of Food Aid in Ecuador to the company, Genetic ID. They found that 55% of the soy beans used in the program PANN 2000, which is directed at children between 6 months and 2 years ("Mi Papilla"), were genetically engineered and imported from the United States. This was found despite technical specifications that prohibit the use of genetically engineered food and recommendations to use locally produced food.

After finding these results a number of ecological, indigenous, farming and children's organizations demanded a judicial inspection of the storage buildings of "Molino El Condor". The sample used for the tests in February was taken from these buildings.

The inspection was conducted by the intendant of Quito, thanks to Deputies Carlos Gonzales and John Argudo and to the presence of members of the Ministry of Health. However, they did not find the imported, genetically engineered soybeans (Nutrisoy).

The various organizations involved demanded an answer to the following questions:

• If there are no more genetically engineered soy beans, what happened with the ones that were there?
• What quantity of genetically engineered soybeans did they buy?
• How were they distributed, in what provinces of the country were they distributed and who were the suppliers?
• What measures did they take after they knew that the soybeans of the program PANN 2000 were genetically engineered?
• What will they do to monitor the children, pregnant mothers and their children who have consumed the genetically engineered soy beans?
• How will they identify the long-term effects of the consumption of the genetically engineered soy beans?
• Who is responsible for violating the technical specifications of "Mi Papilla."

The representative of the World Food Program did not receive the representatives of the organizations that demanded an answer.

The Ecuadorian Constitution orders that all activities that involve the experimentation, use and commercialization of genetically engineered foods, must be regulated under strict norms of Biosafety1 . While this norm does not exist, all importation of genetically engineered foods is illegal.

This is how the Constitutional Tribunal interpreted the law when they conceded a Constitutional Suit and accepted the unconstitutionality of the importation of a shipment of genetically engineered soy paste, imported from the United States. It was a part of the Program PL-480, as a "non-refundable loan," the soy paste was designated for chicken feed.

This resolution was based in the application of Precaution Principle, which is also recognized by the Constitution2. This Principle must be strongly used when it deals with food designated for the most vulnerable sector of the population: Children.

Novartis/Gerber the world’s biggest baby food producer has already announced that they stop using genetically modified ingredients in their products. It is necessary to ask if it is acceptable to use transgenics in the diet of children suffering severe problems of mal nutrition and having an underdeveloped immune system. Certainly NO, for them, whatever side effect related to the consumption of genetically engineered foods will be worse.

Ecuadorian Constitution, 1999. Art. 89.
Ecuadorian Constitution, 1999. Art. 91

Quito, May 2001

Elizabeth Bravo
ebravo@accionecologica.org
Acción Ecológica
Red por una America Latina Libre de Transgenicos Casilla 17-15-246-C Quito - Ecuador Telfaxes: (593 2) 547516 / 527583