| Hamara Beej Abhiyan 1181/2146, Ratnakar Bag – 2 Tankapani Road Bhubaneswar. DT: 15.10.08 PRESS RELEASE "I AM NO LAB RAT" –Consumer Awareness Campaign against Genetically Modified Food Bhubaneswar: Hamara Beej Abhiyan, a movement to restore the right to seed of farmers, has launched a campaign against the introduction of Genetically Modified (GM), food. Formally titled "I am no lab rat", this campaign highlights the fact that human beings are being subjected to a mass experiment by the way of GM food, whereby plants are genetically modified to include novel characteristics. It is of great concern, that this campaign points out, is that genes of sexually incompatible species are being interchanged. Spider, scorpion, toxic bacteria and even human genes are being introduced into such commonly consumed food such as brinjal, cabbage, cowpeas, bhindi and even rice. The idea is to make the crops toxic to pests but without bothering to investigate the effect on humans. Laboratory experiments on rats has revealed that upon being fed genetically modified food, these rats displayed symptoms of immune system damage, stunted growth, misshapen cell structures in different organs, organ damage particularly to liver and kidneys, bleeding ulcers in stomach, reduced digestive enzymes, inflamed lung tissue, higher offspring mortality etc. Thus the food that we have so confidently eaten for the last so many centuries is soon going to be so drastically changed and made dangerous. The Indian Government (the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee) is on the verge of releasing the first genetically modified food crop for human consumption, Bt-Brinjal, which will be followed by all other vegetables, cereals and fruits. Following huge resistance, especially in Europe and many other countries, the big seed companies are now eyeing India for their experiments. Bt Brinjal, as the name suggests, contains the toxin producing gene from the toxic bacteria Bacillus Thuringiensis, in an effort to kill the pests like fruit and stem borer. However what effect this toxic brinjal will have on humans who consumed it is not being investigated. Independent research has revealed that the Bt toxin is not destroyed by cooking and has the ability to interfere with the gut bacteria in humans.
The Bt toxin Cry1Ac protein has tested positive on all parameters of tests for allergy. In a horrific incident in 1989, dozens of Americans died and several thousands were afflicted and impaired by a genetically altered version of the food supplement – L-tryptophan. A settlement of $2 billion dollars was paid by Showa Denko , Japan 's third largest chemical company. (Mayeno and Gleich, 1994). The programme was launched in Hotel The New Marrion by Secretary Wildlife Society of Orissa Sri Biswajit Mohanty unveiling a cage where a half human half rat specimen was enclosed signifying that the human race has become a laboratory rat for the dangerous GM food experiment. Sri Bhabani Das of Hamara Beej Abhiyan described why the "I Am No Lab rat" was launched as a means to sensitize the urban consumers and is running successfully all over India . The response has been very good and people are signing a petition to the Union Health Minister protesting the GM food experiment in very large numbers. He said anybody could visit the website www.iamnolabrat.com and going to the petition page, fill in the required details, and participate in the petition signature campaign. He said that a van carrying the caged "lab rat" would move all around the city for the next one week to create awareness about the adverse effects of GM crops. He also spoke that because the GM crops could contaminate other crop, all our food can become exceedingly toxic. The process of contamination was irreversible he pointed out. Sri Saroj Mohanty of Paschim Ordisha Krushak Sangathan Samamvay Samiti spoke about the illegal cultivation of Bt Cotton in Orissa. If the government was not able to check this illegal cultivation how could it ensure that the strict bio safety protocols to be followed during the cultivation of GM crops? Have the farmers been able to follow the instructions of the State with regard to fertilisers and pesticides, he questioned. Sri Debjeet Sarangi of Living Farms spoke about the threat to food sovereignty and how GM was all about patenting seeds and handing over the ownership of the world's food to a few American multinationals. The launch was followed by a press conference. (Bhabani Das), (Saroj Mohanty) (Debjeet Sarangi) (Jagannath Chatterjee) Hamara Beej Abhiyan.
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