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Schlagwort-Archive: tribunal
3 years already! — Monsanto Tribunal
3 years already!
In this newsletter: Roundup lawsuits in the USA and the rest of the world, glyphosate in the EU, an invitation to submit your ideas and proposals, Monsanto’s policy of trolling and nice reading suggestions.
Three years ago, October 14-16th 2016, hundreds of people from five continents came to The Hague (NL) for the hearings of the Monsanto Tribunal and the parallel People’s Assembly. The impressive testimonies convinced the five judges in the Tribunal to present a very clear Advisory Opinion in April 2017, also in The Hague. Ever since, we have been involved in spreading this opinion in legal circles all over the world. And of course, stimulating court cases and investigating possibilities to expose the harm done to people and planet by Bayer – Monsanto.
USA Roundup Lawsuits
Over 10,000 people in the USA suffering from Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma have sued the company, because their illness is related to glyphosate exposure. The first three verdicts in favor of Dewayne ‘Lee’ Johnson, Edwin Hardeman and the Pilliod couple sent shockwaves through the shareholder market and Bayer – Monsanto lost half of its stock value, some 50 billion dollars. The fourth trial was expected in October, in Monsanto’s hometown St Louis, but is now delayed until early 2020.
In the course of these lawsuits, a treasure trove of emails and internal documents was made public. You can access all the ‘Monsanto Papers’ listed in this 179-page chart, and organized by categories such as ‘Discrediting Seralini’, ‘Freedom to operate’, ‘Discrediting IARC’…
These documents and the outcome of the trials remind us of the Monsanto Tribunal’s Advisory Opinion: ‘There is […] a clear difference between taking policy positions where legitimate uncertainties are addressed in a scientific debate, on the one hand, and taking direct measures to silence or discredit scientists where their findings are not convenient to a particular business model, on the other. The latter situation crosses the boundary of what can be considered to be a legitimate public debate; it involves conduct that frustrates the scientific project and that is intended to undermine and silence scientists.’
To follow the USA Roundup lawsuits, make sure to regularly visit the US Right to Know’s website.
Many More Court Cases
In Sri Lanka 400,000 people were diagnosed from chronic kidney disease, out of which some 25,000 have died. The disease is related to heavy metals in drinking water in combination with glyphosate use. A group of farmer organizations, researchers, patients and the families of deceased farmers are set to take Bayer – Monsanto and other glyphosate herbicide manufacturers to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.
In addition, the first French civil court case on glyphosate was started by Sabine Grataloup, who testified in the Tribunal. She attributes her son Theo’s serious health problems to his exposure in utero to the product and asks that the responsibility of the manufacturer be recognized. Last but not least, the first Australian glyphosate court case against Monsanto was launched last summer.
Invitation to Come Up With Ideas or Proposals
There are many victims who could sue Bayer – Monsanto if they had the means and access to lawyers. We have been looking into new opportunities to help victims to find justice. One promising idea is to start courtcases for victims in Germany, Bayer’s home country. There are great possibilities to hold Bayer – Monsanto accountable but they all require concentrated effort and we’re only a group of dedicated volunteers. So we invite you as a reader of this message to come up with ideas and proposals and share them with us. Alternatively you could support us with a donation to continue our work and cover expenses, spread the news, explore ideas and to keep all testimonies and video material online on our Vimeo channel in six languages. Remember, our work is done by dedicated volunteers who receive no payment at all.
Glyphosate Banned in the EU?
After a heated debate, the EU decided to allow the use of glyphosate for another 5 years, until the end of 2022. This decision led to additional protests. In July this year the Austrian parliament decided to ban the herbicide completely. The German government wants to ban the product in 2024, starting with substantial reduction of use in 2020. Belgium has already banned sale to private persons and in the Netherlands it is no longer allowed to use the poison in public spaces. In France, the government has pledged an 80% reduction by 2021. Not enough, argue 20 mayors who decided on a pesticide ban in their community, defying state laws.
In the meantime, four EU countries are preparing the procedure for a possible renewal of the toxic permit after 2022. This process is closely followed by civil society groups, since in the earlier procedures the German BfR showed very close ties to industry and copy pasted Monsanto texts into their conclusion. Bayer has already threatened the EU with a lawsuit if the permit is not extended in 2023. Not so different from Monsanto after all.
EU Court: Roundup Formulations Must Be Tested on Long-term Effects
The EU Court of Justice concluded in a ruling on October 1, 2019, that pesticide formulations as sold and used must be tested for long-term toxicity and carcinogenicity. So far only one of the active ingredients – glyphosate – is tested on long-term effects. Surprisingly enough, not the toxic cocktail Roundup. This ruling will change a lot, not only for Roundup use but for pesticide formulations in general.
This great conclusion is the result of an action of concerned French citizens against Roundup sale. The European Court of Justice’s new ruling came in response to questions raised by the Criminal Court of Foix. Indeed, French environmentalists say they had a duty to damage containers of Roundup because of the insufficient warnings about the effects of the herbicide. Invoking the doctrine of necessity, the defendants contend they aimed to protect public health; they had a duty to alert the shops whose Roundup products they damaged, as well as their customers. The court in Foix thus invited Europe’s top court to weigh in on whether ‘EU legislation is capable of fully ensuring the protection of the human population.’
Monsanto’s Trolling Strategy Exposed
The ‘Monsanto Papers’ confirm what all journalists, scientists and NGOs working around Monsanto already knew: the company works hard to keep its opponents under surveillance and to take up as much space as possible on social media.
First, Monsanto closely monitored activists and journalists through its own ‘intelligence fusion center’, ‘a term that the FBI and other law enforcement agencies use for operations focused on surveillance and terrorism’, according to The Guardian. Then, Monsanto deployed an army of trolls to discredit and mock opponents through third parties. Shortly after the release of Carey Gillam’s book Whitewash, negative reviews appeared on Amazon, repeating the same talking points; this was orchestrated by Monsanto, as its ‘Carey Gillam Book spreadsheet’ shows.
Singer and songwriter Neil Young was also considered as a threat to Monsanto, and we know that members of the Monsanto Tribunal organizing committee were monitored by the company.
Who Will Feed Us?
That’s a very good question! The NGO ETC Group has tried to answer it. In its daily work, this civil society think tank monitors the impact of emerging technologies and corporate strategies on biodiversity, agriculture and human rights.
The booklet and accompanying videos ‘Who will feed us?’ compares the characteristics and impacts of the Peasant Food Web and the Industrial Food Chain. One of the key messages? ‘The Peasant Food Web nurtures 9–100 times the biodiversity used by the Chain, across plants, livestock, fish and forests. Peasants have the knowledge, innovative energy and networks needed to respond to climate change; they have the operational scope and scale; and they are closest to the hungry and malnourished.’
In addition, the report ‘Blocking the chain’ assesses digital developments in the food and agricultural sector. It analyzes in the details the possible consequences of the Bayer – Monsanto merger.
We invite you to go deeper and discover ETC group’s publications on their website.
Ongoing Dicamba Failure
Dicamba is a weedkiller meant to solve the problem of Roundup-resistant weeds. Monsanto has invested over 1 billion dollars in new GM plants resistant to dicamba. Since the introduction of these plants in the USA, millions of acres of damage to other plants have been recorded. This is due to the volatility of the weedkiller, a reason for some states to ban dicamba use in the hottest months. Plants exposed to the chemical are left wrinkled, cupped or stunted in growth. No figures have been produced for 2019 so far – the states stopped publicizing them! – but local reports show that the problem is far from over.
Please Keep on Supporting the Monsanto Tribunal
The Monsanto Tribunal took place thanks to your generosity. Now, we want to make sure all resources such as the Advisory Opinion, the Tribunal hearings videos and Marie-Monique Robin’s free educational documentary remain available online in five languages. Please help us cover these technical costs by making a donation by PayPal, bank transfer or credit card. Thank you!
Bayer Monsanto in deep trouble
https://en.monsantotribunal.org/main.php?name=main&obj_id=342306859
Das Monsanto Tribunal hat 2016-2017 in Den Haag stattgefunden. 5 Richter haben ein Rechtsgutachten verfasst und sind zu dem Schluss gekommen dass Monsanto’s (jetzt Bayer) Handlungen einen negativen Einfluss auf fundamentale Menschenrechte haben. Zudem seien bessere Verordnungen notwendig, um die Opfer multinationaler Unternehmen zu schützen. Schlussendlich sollte das internationale Recht für einen besseren Schutz der Umwelt ausgebaut werden und der Tatbestand des Ökozids miteinbezogen werden. Der ganze Ablauf ist in einem Dokumentarfilm und einer Broschüre festgehalten. Die Broschüre des Europäischen Bürgerforums ist nur in Englisch und Spanisch verfügbar.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/273526999
Die Journalistin und Autorin Marie-Monique Robin hat den gesamten Prozess des Monsanto Tribunals dokumentiert und in einem Dokumentarfilm verarbeitet. „Das Internationale Monsanto Tribunal, das making-of) geht hinter die Kulissen und erzählt die Geschichte dieses außergewöhnlichen Projekts.
„Das Internationale Monsanto Tribunal“ ist frei verfügbar. Es dient der Informationsbeschaffung sowie Bewusstseinsbildung einer breiten Zuhörerschaft, so wie Anwält*innen, Menschenrechts- und Umweltaktivist*innen und Schulen und Universitäten. Du kannst entweder den ganzen Film ansehen oder auch nur ein bestimmtes Kapitel auswählen, wie z.B. „Wer sind die Zeug*innen?“ oder „Warum Monsanto!“. Der Film ist auf Englisch, Französisch, Spanisch, Deutsch und Portugiesisch verfügbar.
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Marie-Monique Robin hat auch einen 96-minütigen Dokumentarfilm mit dem Titel „Roundup – der Prozess“ gedreht. Es bewertet die durch Glyphosat verursachten Schäden für Gesundheit und Umwelt weltweit, indem es den Zeugen folgt, die vor dem Tribunal ausgesagt haben. Dieser Film ist hier als DVD in Deutsch, Englisch und Französisch erhältlich.
Weitere Informationen unten zu den Themen:
- Rechtsgutachten – vollständiger Bericht und Zusammenfassung der Schlussfolgerungen der Richter
- Video-Zeugenaussagen – Videos der Anhörungen der Experten, Opfer und Anwälte
- Schriftliche Stellungnahmen – eingereichte Texte der Experten, Opfer und Anwälte
- Programm der Anhörungen
- Monsanto Tribunal – warum und wie?
Parallel zu den Anhörungen am Monsanto Tribunal (Den Haag, Oktober 2016), fand eine People’s Assembly statt, um Strategien zu diskutieren, sich den von der industriellen Landwirtschaft verursachten Problemen entgegenzustellen. Es ergab sich die Möglichkeit für die Bewegungen aus aller Welt, zusammenzukommen und eine nachhaltige Zukunft zu planen. Beide Initiativen erhielten gewaltige Unterstützung von berühmten „Botschaftern“ wie Manu Chao, Renate Künast oder Konstantin Wecker.
New film on the Monsanto Tribunal!
http://en.monsantotribunal.org/main.php?name=main&obj_id=795452603
New film on the Monsanto Tribunal!
In this newsletter: Monsanto’s name will disappear but not be forgotten, Marie-Monique Robin’s new documentary film behind the scenes of the Tribunal, European Civic Forum’s brochure and a new lawsuit against Monsanto in France.
‘Bayer-Monsanto’ forever
Bayer swallowed Monsanto. Though current products will keep their brand, Monsanto’s name will disappear. In the meantime, Monsanto’s CEO Hugh Grant is retiring with a LOT of money. During Bayer’s annual shareholders’ meeting on May 25th, we asked CEO Werner Baumann what would happen with the thousands of lawsuits taking place against Monsanto in the United States. He simply answered that these issues would be dealt with according to Bayer’s ethical rules, but no further information could be given because the two companies were still independent from each other. This is not the case any more since June 7th. We will not give up, M. Baumann.
Marie-Monique Robin’s second film on the Monsanto Tribunal
In addition to the documentary film ‘Roundup facing its Judges’, French journalist and author Marie-Monique Robin has directed a second documentary film. ‘The International Monsanto Tribunal – the Making of’ goes behind the scenes and tells the story and background of this extraordinary project. It shows how citizens from different social backgrounds and countries came together to make the tribunal a reality. The film is available with English, French, German, Spanish or Portuguese subtitles, and can be viewed as a whole or downloaded from Vimeo. You can also watch individual chapters, such as ‘Why The Hague?’ or ‘Who are the judges?’
The International Monsanto Tribunal – the Making of’ aims at being a tool for information and awareness-raising for a large audience, and can be freely shared.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/273648018
New brochure on the Monsanto Tribunal
The brochure ‘Ecocide – Corporations on trial’ originally published in Switzerland by the European Civic Forum is now available in English and Spanish. The first version that was available in printed version in French and German has been revised, and prefaced by Prof. Olivier de Schutter. The English and Spanish PDF version is a joint production of the European Civic Forum and the Monsanto Tribunal Foundation. It can be freely shared and printed.
Monsanto’s Tribunal witness suing Monsanto in France
In October 2016, Sabine Grataloup was the first witness to testify before the judges. She spoke about her son Theo’s birth defects, caused by glyphosate exposure during early pregnancy. It is now official: Theo’s parents are suing Monsanto for failing to provide enough information about its products. One of the lawyers involved in the case is William Bourdon, who plead at the Monsanto Tribunal on the freedom indispensable to scientific research. This new lawsuit is a successful outcome of the Monsanto Tribunal, which goal was to provide a space for victims, lawyers and experts to meet and support each other. More information in French is available here.
Monsanto in trouble while citizens mobilize
Monsanto in trouble while citizens mobilize
In this newsletter: expiration of the glyphosate’s licence in Europe, Monsanto Papers scandal, glyphosate residues discovered in foodproducts and thorough investigations about Monsanto’s work…
Dear supporter of the Monsanto Tribunal,
The legal opinion of the Monsanto Tribunal has been spread to all corners of the world by social and official media. We have sent the text to a wide range of organizations and legal associations. We have not stopped Monsanto and its toxic business yet – but, of course, no one expected it would be that easy.
However, it has been a major step towards a world without toxic chemicals. Monsanto is in trouble, not only because of the tribunal, but for many reasons: the authorization of Monsanto’s flagship Roundup (and its ingredient glyphosate) is expiring in the EU. People no longer accept damage to their health and sue Monsanto in court. The Tribunal and court cases have been exposing the way Monsanto works, and this helps to inspire others to show the true cost of Monsanto’s business. Films and books are released on this important topic as you can read below. Out in the fields, nature defends itself: more and more weeds are resistant to Roundup! Monsanto’s ‘solution’ to this problem, another very toxic herbicide dicamba – turns out to be a complete failure.
All this indicates that Monsanto’s toxic agriculture and extortion have reached their limits. An ever-growing number of people understand that we can and have to feed the world without poisoning it. A recent UN Report denounced the myth that pesticides are necessary to feed the world. We should reward farmers and not exploit them, we can work with nature instead of waging a war against it.
Please, help us to make that happen: spread the word, help in the different campaigns and donate if you can to make our work possible.
Flagship glyphosate license expiring
The license for glyphosate, active ingredient of Roundup, is expiring in the EU and it has created a huge discussion. Over 1.3 million EU citizens have signed an official request to ban glyphosate, to reform the pesticide approval procedure, and to set EU-wide mandatory reduction targets for pesticide use. In the discussion it has become clear that the report by Food Authority EFSA – based on a report by the German regulatory agency BfR – is not independent and relies heavily on studies by Monsanto and other large companies. The report even copied part of the text from a Monsanto study.
On the 11th of October there will be an official hearing in the EU Parliament. Monsanto has been invited but will not show up, nor will BfR. Soon the EU member states will have to cast their vote for the final decision. One of the largest, France, has previously announced it would vote against the renewal of the license for glyphosate.
Look here for a comprehensive timeline of events in this very important issue.
Monsanto exposed: the Monsanto Papers continued
Over this year, an incredible amount of secret documents from various industries and companies were made public. In March 2017, an American Judge ruled – over Monsanto’s objections – that certain internal documents could be unsealed in the frame the multidistrict litigation glyphosate cancer case. Observers were quick to rename these documents the ‘Monsanto Papers’.
Four months later, a new batch of company records was released. According to Brent Wisner, attorney from one of the many law firms representing thousands of plaintiffs pursuing claims against Monsanto: ‘This is a look behind the curtain –[…] These show that Monsanto has deliberately been stopping studies that look bad for them, ghostwriting literature and engaging in a whole host of corporate malfeasance. They [Monsanto] have been telling everybody that these products are safe because regulators have said they are safe, but it turns out that Monsanto has been in bed with U.S. regulators while misleading European regulators.’
In addition, 100,000 pages of documents (testimonies, unpublished studies, meeting minutes…) obtained through lawsuits against chemical companies and U.S. regulation agencies were collected by environmental activists. They were made publicly available through a project called the Poison Papers. With such documents out, it becomes increasingly ‘difficult’ for companies like Monsanto to deny accusations of concealment, deception or collusion.
Scientific news: glyphosate in Ben & Jerry’s and many more products
Consumers’ groups have been conducting a series of tests with food products in the U.S. Glyphosate was found in many of them, including the famous ‘all natural’ Ben & Jerry’s ice creams, from the company Unilever. The Organic Consumers Association is now pushing the brand to go organic, if it really wants ‘to make the world a better place’ as advertised. Help them and sign their open letter.
Shortly after the OCA, the French organisation Générations Futures conducted tests on food products found in supermarkets and found out that 53% of them contained glyphosate residues. Such results show the pervasive nature of glyphosate-containing herbicides. Combined with the important work of health and environmental organizations, they should carry weight on the debates over glyphosate re-authorization in the EU.
Film Roundup on trial
This new investigation by Marie-Monique Robin – maker of the brilliant documentary The World According to Monsanto – will be broadcast in French and German on ARTE TV channel on October 17th. For several months, the journalist followed Roundup victims and experts from all over the world, revealing a massive health and environmental scandal. Like the trailer, the DVD version will also include English subtitles. Watch the trailer and order your copy in advance.
New books on Monsanto and glyphosate
Roundup on trial is the new book (in French) from Marie-Monique Robin, that comes along with the above-mentioned movie. ‘This provocative book provides an understanding of the mechanisms of one of the greatest environmental and health scandals in modern history. But it also shows that, in the face of the powerlessness or the lack of will of international agencies and governments to end it, civil society is mobilizing.’
Another very interesting book on glyphosate and Monsanto was published by Carey Gillam, investigative journalist: Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer, and the Corruption of Science. ‘Whitewash is more than an exposé about the hazards of one chemical or even the influence of one company. It’s a story of power, politics, and the deadly consequences of putting corporate interests ahead of public safety.’
No justice for Monsanto Tribunal witness and whistleblower Shiv Chopra
Dr. Shiv Chopra was one of three Health Canada veterinary scientists who spoke out in the 1990s. He denounced the pressure from their bosses to approve drugs (including the infamous bovine growth hormone rBST), despite concerns about its safety. He accused the federal government of allowing corporations to influence the approval process for veterinary drugs and inadequately protecting the food system. He and his colleagues, Dr. Haydon and Dr. Lambert, were eventually fired in 2004 for insubordination. Unlike Chopra, Haydon and Lambert previously won the right to be reinstated because previous suspensions had been wiped from their records.
Chopra claimed that courts have never considered the actual content of his concerns about Health Canada. ‘If today I had won, I would get compensated for my loss of salary. But the issue of public food safety would still remain.’
After retirement, Chopra founded an organization called the Canadian Council on Food Sovereignty and Health and has been a public speaker and expert witness. He still has concerns about five classes of products used in the food system – hormones, antibiotics, slaughterhouse byproducts used in animal feed, pesticides and genetically modified organisms. ‘The cause and the issue is still there,’ he said.
Read more about that case and watch Dr. Chopra’s testimony at the Monsanto Tribunal.
Bayer-Monsanto merger under investigation
There has been a lot of public pressure on the merger authorities to prevent the Bayer – Monsanto merger. Too much power, bad for farmers and consumers is the general opinion. The EU Commission has now launched an in-depth investigation. However, we should not be too optimistic, for in the past nine out of ten of all mergers were approved.
European Civil Forum publishes brochure about the Monsanto Tribunal
This comprehensive 160-page brochure describes in German and French what happened during the Monsanto Tribunal. It is printed and distributed in Switzerland. If we can raise the necessary funds, we will also make an international version.
Please support our work !
The funds raised to organize the Monsanto Tribunal and the outreach have now come to an end. None of the speakers and witnesses have received any money except travel expenses. Most of the organisation work has been done by volunteers, only a small part of the staff has received a very moderate salary during the preparations. We are proud that we have been able to achieve this very important work with your support!
Now we want to continue, spreading the word. We have some very concrete suggestions:
– We would need €6,000 for the translation of the above-mentioned brochure about the Monsanto Tribunal into English and Spanish.
– We are looking into an international study into the real costs of Monsanto’s business for human health and nature. We want to calculate the damages caused by the company to make sure that those responsible will be held accountable. Such damage should not be swept under the carpet when Bayer and Monsanto merge.
If you like what we do and can afford to make a small or big donation: please support us now!
Legal opinion: Monsanto’s activities have negative impact on basic human rights
On Tuesday April 18th the five international judges of the Monsanto Tribunal presented their legal opinion. They have come to important conclusions, both on the conduct of Monsanto and on necessary developments in international law.
The judges conclude that Monsanto has engaged in practices which have negatively impacted the right to a healthy environment, the right to food and the right to health. On top of that Monsanto’s conduct is negatively affecting the right to freedom indispensable for scientific research. These are very important and well-funded legal conclusions that can be of great help to the victims of Monsanto worldwide.
The judges also conclude that despite the development of many instruments to protect the environment, a gap remains between commitments and the reality of environmental protection. International law should be improved for better protection of the environment and include the crime of ecocide. The Tribunal concludes that if such a crime of ecocide were recognized in international criminal law, the activities of Monsanto could possibly constitute a crime of ecocide.
Finally, in the third and last part of the advisory opinion, the Tribunal focusses on the widening gap between international human rights law and corporate accountability. It strongly advises the United Nations to take action to make sure that human and environmental rights are protected by (international) laws and are not overruled by trade agreements. It should be made possible to prosecute multinational corporations in the International Criminal Court.
Find here on the „Results“ page of our website the full text and the summary of the advisory legal opinion delivered by the Monsanto Tribunal judges in The Hague.
http://www.monsanto-tribunal.org/conclusions
Historic moment coming close
Historic moment coming close
In this newsletter: on April 18th the judges of the Monsanto Tribunal will present their conclusions; Seeds of Freedom, a new song by Manu Chao especially made for the struggle against Monsanto and Bayer; Monsanto knew much more than they told us on Roundup and cancer, and much more.
On the 18th of April the five judges of the Monsanto Tribunal will present their conclusions. It will not end the impunity of Monsanto and big corporations right away, surely not. We won’t change the world as simple as that. But it will be an important step in the struggle against those who think they can poison people and environment for their profits. If the judges decide that Monsanto has violated the right to food, health, a healthy environment and scientific freedom, it would be a very important conclusion. If the judges conclude that this will add up to the (new) crime of ecocide, this would be a strong signal to the world. A signal to the United Nations that international law should be amended to end corporate impunity. A signal to the corporations and their shareholders that sooner or later the true cost of their actions will be presented to them.
After all, Monsanto might have much less value than most shareholders think. Especially if the victims of poisonous practices all over the world unite to sue those who poison them and those who deliver the poison in court. The shareholders of Bayer should think twice before they acquire this Trojan Horse. (And better have a close look at their own position too. For Bayer is not exactly innocent itself.)
You can watch the presentation on livestream on the home page of this website. It will start at 15.00 (3 PM) Central European Summer Time (CEST). That is 2 PM in the UK and 9 AM in New York, 6.30 PM in New Delhi and 11 PM in Sydney. In case you happen to be in The Hague on April 18th: write to registration@monsanto-tribunal.org to see if there is a seat available at the presentation.
Seeds of Freedom, the Time has come!
A very strong song by the famous Manu Chao, dedicated to the struggle for seed freedom and against industrial agriculture. Specially made for the struggle against Monsanto and Bayer. Listen to the song and watch the beautiful images in the video clip on our Facebook page (you don’t have to use Facebook yourself to see it.) Share the clip on your social media!
Photo credit: Damien Carnal
Moms exposed to Monsanto weed killer means bad outcomes for babies
Concerns about Roundup, the world’s most widely used herbicide are taking a new twist as researchers unveil data that indicates pervasive use of Monsanto’s weed killer could be linked to pregnancy problems. Read more
Roundup and cancer: Monsanto knew much more than they told us
A new court filing in the US made on behalf of dozens of people claiming Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide gave them cancer has led to the publication of interesting and shocking documents. It started with correspondence by longtime EPA toxicologist Marion Copley who died of cancer in 2014. She cites evidence from animal studies and writes: “It is essentially certain that glyphosate causes cancer.” The documents released by the judge show that Monsanto knew much more about the dangers of Roundup and glyphosate and worked closely together with the EPA, the agency that should protect public health. It shows that Monsanto manufactured scientific studies and used those studies to influence regulators. Read more
EU citizens: please sign and spread the glyphosate initiative
Already 650.000 persons signed the initiative to ask the EU to ban glyphosate. We need 1 million valid signatures to make it official. Please sign and spread!
Please donate this very day! With your help we can help the victims of Monsanto
Dear friends,
The Monsanto Tribunal took place in October in The Hague and was, also thanks to your financial support, a big success. On the 18th of April the judges will publish their statements in the same city. The rest of the collected sum will be used for that occasion.
In mid-February our committee met in the Alsatians village of Ungersheim to think of the best way to continue. We decided unanimously not to rest but to continue the struggle.
We want to include a maximum of people and organizations to spread widely the statements of the judges. We need to achieve a large influence on an international level. But the main priority as a follow up to the tribunal still is to keep our promise to help the witnesses go to court in their home countries. We already received the first demands to support logistically, politically but also of course financially. For that we urgently need your help. Every sum is helpful but to attain our goal we also need some special donations.
Kind regards and solidarity
René Lehnherr
Treasurer of the Monsanto Tribunal Foundation (recognized as a charitable organization).
IBAN: NL48TRIO0390954667
BIC/SWIFT: TRIONL2U
Donation page
[Newsletter Monsanto Tribunal] Legal opinion delivered on April 18th
Read this newsletter online
Dear supporter of the Monsanto Tribunal,
On 16 and 17 October 2016, more than 30 witnesses and experts from all over the world gathered in The Hague for the Monsanto Tribunal. They presented their testimonies and analyses on the effects of Monsanto’s business practices to a panel of 5 judges from different continents.
The combined material of the witnesses and experts on the damage caused by Monsanto was so extensive that the judges have dedicated the eighteen weeks that elapsed since the civil society tribunal to carefully consider and evaluate it all. On April 18th, the Monsanto Tribunal judges will publicly present their conclusions and legal recommendations in The Hague. We will livestream the event in English, French, German and Spanish. It will take place in the afternoon (Central EU time), which will be morning in the Americas and evening in Asia. (Nighttime in Australia, sorry for that).
We look forward to a very thorough and important legal opinion. Remember the words of Judge Tulkens, former Vice-President of the European Court of Human Rights and Chair of the Monsanto Tribunal, in October: “[The legal opinion] will be addressed to Monsanto and to the United Nations. From this legal opinion, other jurisdictions can be involved and more judges will step in. We, as the judges [at the Monsanto Tribunal] have seen, heard, noted and deliberated. Chances are that the international law will take into consideration new issues such as the ones related to ecocide.”
In case of a Monsanto merger, make sure Bayer takes full legal responsibility – letter to EU antitrust commission
As you will be aware of, Bayer and Monsanto want to merge into an even bigger agro-chemical and seed giant. Throughout the world there is a lot of protest to this concentration of power, from farmers’ organisations, NGOs and concerned citizens. To get the green light for the merger, the antitrust authorities in some 30 countries have to approve it. The request to the EU is expected to be filed by Bayer sometime this month.
This letter by the organisers of the Monsanto Tribunal asks the antitrust committee to take the findings of the international judges‘ council into account in their decision-making processes. „The implication of the judge’s opinion could be that new liability cases will be filed against Monsanto in regular courts. However, we have seen in the past that companies use mergers to evade their legal responsibilities. The Bhopal case in India stands out as a particularly troubling example. Till this day the Dow Chemical Company does not accept full responsibility for the disaster, which took place in 1984, although it merged in 2001 with Union Carbide Corporation, responsible for the deadly gas leak in Bhopal. We urge you to make sure that in case of a possible merger Bayer will take full responsibility for all acts and consequences of products, production methods and pollution caused by Monsanto and its products on health and environment, in existing and upcoming liability cases.”
Hostilities against Tribunal witness stopped after protests
One of the witnesses in the Monsanto Tribunal – the Argentinian researcher Doctor Damian Verzeñassi has been harrassed by the Dean of the University of Rosario. Directly after the hearings of the Tribunal. His office was closed with chains and two members of the team were fired. The issue raised a lot of reaction both in Argentina and international. As a result the hostilities were stopped and the office was reopened. The doctor and his team do very important research on the effect of pesticides on public health. You can find his testimony in the Tribunal here. His reaction when the problems were over: „Thanks a lot for your support. The solidarity we have received has been very important for us.“
GMOs not substantially equivalent: new research
In January this year two ground-breaking studies were published on risks of GMOs and glyphosate. The first found that a genetically modified corn, NK 603, is not substantially equivalent to a non-GMO counterpart, which is contrary to claims of GMO proponents. This is very important, because the assumption that there is no substantial difference between GMO and other crops is the fundament of the (lack off) GMO regulation in the US.
The second study found that glyphosate, the main ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, can cause a serious liver disease at doses thousands of times lower than that allowed by law. Dr. Michael Antoniou, Head of the Gene Expression and Therapy Group at King’s College London in the United Kingdom, led the ground-breaking research. He is also a co-author of GMO Myths and Truths, an evidence-based examination of the claims made for the safety of genetically modified crops and foods. This can be found on the website of GMWatch and is also available as a very interesting book.
Please Donate
Thank you very much for your support, you helped us raise the necessary funds to organize the Monsanto Tribunal. Now we need your help to spread the results as wide as possible and to help victims of Monsanto in their cases. Every donation, small or big, is very welcome.
Newsletter Monsanto Tribunal – Successful Tribunal and Peoples Assembly – What is next?
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Newsletter Monsanto Tribunal – Successful Monsanto Tribunal and People’s Assembly!
english@newsletter.monsantotribunal.org
Dear Monsanto Tribunal Supporter,
The hearings of the Monsanto Tribunal have been very impressive, and so was the People’s Assembly.
During the last two days the world was watching witnesses’ testimonies, lawyers’ pleas, and the first impressions of the judges. We had 750 participants in The Hague representing 30 nationalities from all over the world, thousands were following us online on the livestream and social media, and the Tribunal received a lot of press attention. Both victims and experts thanked us for giving them a voice on this important international platform; and a very well documented voice in this new process to hold corporations accountable for their acts.
The chairwoman of the Tribunal, Judge Tulkens, expressed the importance of the Tribunal in an interview with the French newspaper, Le Monde: “The questions of the access to water and to healthy food are old.
Those are not new issues coming out of the mind of angry activists. Those issues, just like the right to a healthy environment are likely to become more important with climate change. It is our duty to set legal tools to face those issues. The Monsanto Tribunal is a step and a tool within this dynamic.“
The Tribunal received quite a lot of media coverage. From French and German TV news programs to many newspapers and radio programs in various countries. See the links on our social media platforms (and later on the website).
Monsanto was invited to the Tribunal, but decided not to appear for their defense. We did get their attention though. They issued a statement in 5 languages saying that we are ‘pushing’ the wrong issues, since the real discussion is about feeding the world. Monsanto fails to see feeding the world in a safe way was exactly the topic of the Tribunal of the discussion farmers, consumer movements, and their associated networks had in the parallel People’s Assembly. Many eminent speakers stressed that Monsanto and agribusiness giants like them do not feed the world. Rather, they are involved in producing commodities, feed for animals, fuel for cars, and sugar for the food industry at a very high cost for human health and environment. This is production that feeds profit, not people. It’s the small- and medium-scale farmers that are actually feeding the world.
This Tribunal and People’s Assembly are about showing the tremendous costs of industrial farming for humans, for health, and for nature. They are also about standing up to Monsanto and their likes, and stopping them from poisoning our world and controlling our food supply, One way to do this is by showing the true cost of the current global food system, and the very real alternatives that exist.
Nnimmo Bassey at the opening said: “Being an ambassador to this Tribunal is like being an ambassador to mother Earth. If mother Earth could speak, Monsanto ought to be in jail long before now. Food is a celebration, it is culture, it is life. This is a struggle not against one multinational corporation, it is a struggle for life, it is a struggle for liberty. A struggle to stop big companies from colonizing our food systems, colonizing our agriculture, holding mother Earth as a slave for their profits.”
Please follow us on Facebook where many pictures and videos have already been posted. You can also see them if you have no Facebook yourself.
https://www.facebook.com/monsantotribunal
In the coming weeks we will continue to release short interviews of the witnesses, experts and lawyers, as well as the speakers in the People’s Assembly. We will also add all of this to our website, including all the hearings of the Tribunal and the written testimonies in different languages. Please be patient, we will keep you informed!
The judges are now thoroughly reviewing the evidence from legal briefs and witness testimonies to answer the six questions posed in the Tribunal’s terms of reference. They will then present a legal advisory opinion, hopefully soon but if necessary next spring: we will supply logistic support, but the timing is up to them.
As Judge Tulkens said, “We will try to deliver the legal opinion before December 10th, the International Day of human Rights. It will be addressed to Monsanto and to the United Nations. From this legal opinion, other jurisdictions can be involved and more judges will step in. We, as the judges [at the Monsanto Tribunal] have seen, heard, noted and deliberated. Chances are that the international law will take into consideration new issues such as the ones related to ecocide.„
We would like to thank you and all the volunteers for your amazing support. This would not have been possible without you. Stay tuned, follow us on social media, show your support and share messages wherever and whenever you can. Ask friends to sign their support. Together we will put an end to the era of poisoning and exploiting the world and move onward to a system where we work with nature instead of waging a war against it.
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