Bloggence, Cunning, Exile

5,000,000 peasants vs. seed monopoly

Here's the conclusion of Vandana Shiva's detailed article about the political struggle against global corporate patents on seeds and plants:


" . . .Millions of farmers have made a commitment through the Seed Satyagraha to not obey seed patent laws just as Gandhi refused to obey the British Salt laws. The Congress Government is currently reenacting Gandhi's 1930 Dandi March to break the Salt Laws. While the Government enacts a historical march for freedom while imposing Patent laws for seeds that are more far reaching than the Salt laws, we have been undertaking a real Satyagraha against the seed Patent laws. Five million peasants have taken a pledge to not obey laws for patent monopolies on seeds and plants.

On 2nd April we handed over to the Prime Minister pledges from Seed Satyagrahis across the country who have declared that seed saving and seed sharing is our duty. We will not allow patents on seeds to turn our duties into crimes of intellectual property. We will stay free, and we will continue to defend freedoms of farmers and the freedoms of all species and lifeforms."

posted by E. Heroux @ 11:43 AM