GMOs in Cuba’s Agriculture Questioned
HAVANA TIMES – A group of American intellectuals who recently traveled to Havana to attend the meeting “socialist renewal and capitalist crisis “, released a text on Saturday, criticizing the use of GMOs in the island.
The signatories expressed their deep concern over the introduction of agricultural practices based on the use of genetically modified organisms, according to information published at http://www.MitchelCohen.com.
“We oppose the use of genetically modified agriculture in our own countries, and ask for a thorough public discussion of this issue in Cuba. We hope that this discussion will lead to Cuba’s total renunciation of the use of genetically engineered agricultural technologies,” says the note.
The list of 18 signatories also included professors from the University of Havana: MarxLenin P. Valdes, Zoila Fajardo, Rita L. Moneia Fernandez and Orlando Cruz Capote.
In addition, I want to point out that the statement reflects only the views of those who signed it and is not a statement from the delegation as a whole. I have to make that very clear, because the political climate in the U.S. around Cuba is very hostile, polarized and volatile, and we do not wish our views on this particular issue to be used as fodder for right-wing distortions and propaganda. The signers of this “open letter to the Cuban people” are all in solidarity with Cuba and support Cuba’s right to self-determination in charting out its own future.
It is not accurate to characterize the statement opposing GMOs as “criticizing” Cuba or its policies. Here is the full statement and signatories. Please note that the North Americans in the same delegation did in fact “criticize” (and condemned) the U.S. government’s ongoing blockade of Cuba.
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CUBAN PEOPLE AGAINST GENETIC ENGINEERING OF AGRICULTURE
We, the undersigned friends of the Cuban revolution visiting Havana and participating in the Encuentro of “Socialist Renovation and Capitalist Crisis,” are deeply concerned with the proposed introduction of genetically modified agriculture to Cuba.
We recognize that unlike other technologies, once a genetically engineered organism is released into the wild, it will be difficult to recall. The engineered
genes will drift, invade other plants and reproduce on their own, transforming indigenous plants in ways that are not known, unplanned, and potentially dangerous to human health and to Cuba’s sensitive ecological balance.
We oppose the genetic engineering of agriculture in our own countries and we urge a full and public discussion of this issue in Cuba, hopefully leading to Cuba’s complete rejection of genetically engineered agricultural technology.
(signed)
Mitchel Cohen
Green Party, and WBAI Radio
Brooklyn, New York
Nancy Cain
Sierra Club
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Beth Youhn
BACLT
Oakland, California
Larry Udell
West Chester University
Poenixville, Pennsylvania
Eduardo Mendieta
Stony Brook University
E. Setauket, New York
MarxLenin P. Valdes
Universidad de la Habana
La Habana, Cuba
Mary Rushfield
New York University
New York City, New York
David Schweikert
Loyola University
Chicago, Illinois
Gene Vanderport
Socialist Forum
Urbana, Illinois
Peter Ranis
City College of New York Graduate Center
New York City, New York
Frank Marshalek
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Vicki Legion
American Federation of Teachers
San Francisco, California
Yodenis Guirola
University of Barcelona
Barcelona, Spain / Sta Clara, Cuba
Chris Kinder
Labor Action to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal
Oakland, California
Zoila Fajardo
Universidad de la Habana
Habana, Cuba
William Crossman
Cuban 5 Committee
Oakland, California
Rita L. Moneia Fernandez
Medico Master C.P.
Universidad de la Habana
Habana, Cuba
Orlando Cruz Capote
Institute Filosofia
Universidad de la Habana
Habana, Cuba
*The names of the organizations are solely for identification purposes. Cada firmante de la carta abierta se auto-identifica como integrante de su respectiva organización, pero ello no debe ser interpretado como una implicación de que la propia organización ha tomado posición en el asunto.