{mini}Printable version

English · Español · français

1 March 2010 | | |

Real Protection

Uruguay: People demand future protected area to be declared free from GMOs

1:46 minutes
Download: MP3 (829.9 kb)

An area of wetlands located near the capital city of Uruguay, Montevideo, is about to be included in the National System of Protected Areas, which is, without a question, good news for the population, but not so much for the several pollutant industries established there.

However, in order for the decision to preserve biodiversity be complete, people from the area claim that the area be also declared free from GM crops.

The law that created the National System of Protected Areas also establishes that public hearings to gather the opinions of the community be held.

This way, over 150 people met on February 24th at the Rural Promotion Association from Rincon del Colorado, located near Santa Lucia river. This river is the main source of drinking water for the metropolitan area, which includes over 1.5 million people.

The wetland in question is one of the most important of the Uruguayan coastline, home of a great variety of native flora and fauna. Over 130 endangered species can be found in the region.

The proposal demands to declare the area free from genetically modified crops. “Evidence of GM contamination found in corn crops in our country, together with an intensive use of agrochemicals make GMOs incompatible with the declaration of a protected area”. “Wetlands, as biodiversity deposits, should be kept as a priority in terms of preservation of native species and against GM contamination”.

Photo: Indymedia Uruguay

(CC) 2010 Real World Radio

Messages

Who are you?
Your post

This form accepts SPIP shortcuts [->url] {{bold}} {italic} <quote> <code> and the HTML code <q> <del> <ins>. To create paragraphs, simply leave blank lines.

Close

Friend of the Earth

Real World Radio 2003 - 2018 | All the material published here is licensed under Creative Commons (Attribution Share Alike). The site is created with Spip, free software specialized in web publications. Done with love.