Groups march peacefully ahead of biosafety talks

 Reuters Story - January 22, 2000 16:28

 By Robert Melnbardis

MONTREAL, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Groups opposed to the use of genetically
modified organisms in food marched peacefully on Saturday to the venue 
of upcoming U.N. talks on a new international agreement to protect biological
diversity.

Police estimated that roughly 300 people, including adults with
children and university students, participated in the two-hour 
demonstration held in temperatures of minus 20 degrees Celsius
(-4 Fahrenheit) and gusting winds.

"It went very peacefully. There were no incidents," said Montreal Urban
Police Commander Andre Durocher.

The marchers returned to a local university for a conference on genetic
engineering and trade hosted by Greenpeace and other environmental and 
public interest groups. Participants said they wanted to get their message 
across even though they will not be participating in the U.N talks, which 
begin formally on Monday.

"We are entitled as human beings to live in a world where we can choose
what we can eat, as long as we don't interfere with other people's right," 
said protester Dominique Carrara, 54, who carried a placard reading: "No 
GMOs (genetically modified organisms) on my plate."

The protesters were hoping to bring pressure to bear on the delegates
from 134 countries gathering in Montreal to try to finish negotiations 
on a U.N.-sponsored Biosafety Protocol. Heading into the talks, the United 
States is at odds with the European Union and developing countries on a range of issues.

The EU wants the protocol to cover food safety issues related to genetically 
modified crops, but the United States has tried to keep the talks focused on the environmental aspects of genetically modified organisms.

The United States also wants to ensure that the protocol does not
override the rights and obligations of countries under other international 
agreements, in particular the World Trade Organization.

Jeremy Rifkin, the Washington-based environmental activist whose group
backed a class action lawsuit filed against life sciences group Monsanto 
Co. over its handling of genetically modified crops, told Reuters the 
Montreal talks may well collapse or result in a watered down agreement.

"A collapse or less-than-full agreement works against the biotech
industry in a major way because the clock is ticking against them," Rifkin said.

"If the talks collapse, that means more unpredictability because then
countries will go their own way."

Meanwhile, Francois Clermont, of Biotech Action Montreal, which
organized the march along with Greenpeace and the public interest 
group Council of Canadians, said the groups plan to hold daily vigils 
outside the biosafety talks at the U.N.-affiliated International Civil 
Aviation Organization.

But unlike the demonstrations against the World Trade Organization
talks in Seattle last November that degenerated into
riots as demonstrators prevented delegates from reaching their
meetings, the nongovernmental groups in Montreal do not
want to disrupt the biosafety talks.

"We will hand out pamphlets and other information to the delegates. It
will be peaceful," Clermont said.