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Biodiversity Activists Target Patent Office
RIF media - 09.04.2002 14:41
At 12.30 pm today at the European Patent Office in Rijswijk near The Hague,
The Netherlands, activists from around the world are bringing the EPO´s
personnel a message in their lunch break. While a sambaband has occupied
the main hall of the building, climbers are high up attaching a banner
stating ´No patents on Life. Resistance is Fertile.´
-- Last update: police and security have endangered climbers, who are at the moment going down again. --
Who has the right to control the planet´s biological resources? Despite
heavy opposition, the EU has gone ahead with granting patents on genetic
material, living organisms and their parts and components - the
privatisation of what used to be a public resource - the biodiversity that
is life on earth.
"We condemn the role of EPO in promoting patents on life out of self and
business interest," states Ralph van den Duin, a Dutch samba player.
"This lunchtime event brings into action what the UN Convention on
Biological Diversity, now taking place in The Hague, is blatantly failing
to do: to put an end to the privatisation of the genetic commons and the
exploitation of traditional living knowledge."
The action is part of the two week biodiversity countersummit Resistance is
Fertile.
"We are organising events to promote and discuss ideas that are actually
from the grassroots throughout the next two weeks. I´m especialy excited
about the next weekend, when we get together with farmers from around the
world. I´m hoping to get to see some other perspectives," says Mr. van Duin.
Central Press contact: (+31) (0)6 137 35 716 or
mailto: rifmedia@subdimension.com
Other contacts for today (+31) (0)6 178 36 486 / (0)6 110 88 452
More information on  http://www.resistanceisfertile.org
RIF Radio is broadcasting 20-22 h Central European Time on
http://www.resistanceisfertile.com/radio and on local frequencies in The
Hague (104.2 FM). Also in Amsterdam (96.3 FM) and Leiden (97.4 FM) from
16-18 h CET.
Enough is enough: No Patents on Life!
For many decades, life science companies have been scouting the world in
search of genes in microbes, plants, animals, and human populations that
might be commercially valuable in the biological marketplace. The US and
other governments have allowed companies to lay claim over thousands of
genes in the form of intellectual property rights.
Some of the consequences of patents on life include:
* ´Biopiracy´: what many see as the theft of their genetic resources by
private companies from industrialised countries. This includes the
exploitation of the genetic resources of indigenous peoples and the
knowledge of their uses.
* Farmers´ rights are being destroyed: presently (Northamerican) farmers
are being sued by multinationals for having patented seeds on their land,
despite the fact that often they got there by contamination in the first
place. This will soon be commonplace around the world, both North and South.
Among those working with(in) the CBD, and in other international fora, the
awareness of the adverse consequences of life patents is growing. However,
the legislative structure of the CBD seems powerless and unwilling to
counter this development.
Biodiversity is not for sale, nor is it free. It is priceless.
A briefing on EPO and life-patenting will be available on
http://www.resistanceisfertile.org from 14h CET onwards.
 E-Mail: rifmedia@subdimension.com  Website: http://www.resistanceisfertile.org
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| Read more about: globalisering natuur, dier en mens | | supplements | | | Betogers dringen Europees Octrooibureau binne | aanp - 09.04.2002 14:50
RIJSWIJK (ANP) - Een groep van ongeveer vijftig personen is dinsdagmiddag binnengedrongen in het kantoor van het Europees Octrooi Bureau in Rijswijk (Zuid-Holland). Dat heeft een woordvoerster van de politie bekendgemaakt.
De activisten protesteren tegen ,,het patent op het leven´´. Buiten het gebouw staan nog eens dertig demonstranten. De activisten zijn met behulp van touwen op het hoge gebouw geklommen. Ze willen een groot spandoek ophangen. De politie is massaal aanwezig.
Website: http://www.nieuwsklik.nl/volkskrant/BIN/ANP-090402-157-anp.html
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