Message-ID: <Pine.A41.3.96.970703091241.49364B-100000@hector.NMSU.Edu> Date: Thu, 3 Jul 1997 09:53:16 -0600 From: JC WANDEMBERG <mailto:juwandem@NMSU.EDU> Subject: Re: Quinoa Patent, 'laws' and IDEALS To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
On Thu, 3 Jul 1997, Jim Cory wrote: >
> I believe that unless the world learns to recognize agricultural
> biodiversity as a resource, it will not protect that diversity.
I find this statement rather naive for biodiversity has already been recognized as a resource ergo: patent rights and laws!
> The partnership will not be built on distrust and misinformation.
Certainly not, but the problem is that the evidence accumulated to this day unequivocally indicates how 'some' have taken advantage of others (while it may not be a pure zero-sum game, it resembles it pretty close). When agencies such as USAID refer to studies conducted by the International Institute for Policy Analysis indicating that for every dollar invested in R&D in 'developing' countries the 'investor' gets FOUR times back! somebody must be putting the difference, or does it come from thin air? and then some still wonder how is it that with ALL the 'help' we give the gap between the haves and have-nots keep widening?
Regarding what Mr. Daly said, i.e., "Terms like "seized" and "robbed" are not only inaccurate but inflammatory", this can be solved by putting the word 'legally' in front of 'inaccurate' and 'inflammatory', as is the case in the US when someone files for bankruptcy and then 'legally' robs someone else.
The bottom line of my message is that we (HUMANS) must put our ideals of Homonomy. Nurturance, Humanity, and Beauty before the money-making machine built into most of us by laissez faire capitalistism. Until we manage to do this, there will always be someone willing to sacrifice these ideals to the MONEY-god!
Regards,
Juan Carlos Wandemberg P.S. I would like to indicate that I admire the hard work of people like Johnson and Ward as well as the people from RAFI.