Posted by Dave at 07:58 PM, January 31, 2005
For more information on the damage done by GE monoculture in Argentina, check out this weighty report by Charles M Benbrook, Rust, Resistence, Run down soils and Rising Costs - Problems facing Soybean producers in Argentina »
Continue reading "Rust, Resistence, Run down soils and Rising Costs" »
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Posted by Dave at 03:20 PM, January 30, 2005
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A couple of hours after Friday morning's update to the weblog, the Esperanza weighed anchor, took a pilot on board, and sailed into Lorient harbour. Our ship was flanked by several police inflatables - the same crews that we had encountered earlier, while we chased the GE cargo vessel The Golden Lion into port. Several small sailing ships sailed by, their crews waving to us.
Continue reading "What Happened In Lorient..." »
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Posted by Dave at 09:20 AM, January 28, 2005
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It's 0630 in Lorient harbour, France. The famous José Bové is on the quayside, throwing croissants and pain-au-chocolates to orange-clad activists in inflatables. Damn tasty they are too. Above us towers the bows of the The Golden Lion. Keeping vigil are protestors from Greenpeace, Les Faucheurs Volontaires d'OGM and farmers unions. There are dockers, riot police, media...
Continue reading "Good Morning Lorient!" »
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Posted by brianfit at 10:43 PM, January 27, 2005
Here's video of the attempt to board the Golden Lion in rough seas the other night. Mikey, the activist hanging by a line to the side of the vessel, was slightly injured during the action.
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You can show your appreciation to those folks for putting everything on the line in those conditions by spending a couple seconds sending an email to say NO to GMO. And if you're in or near Lorient, France: go greet the ship. No climbing gear required.
Continue reading "Making waves" »
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The Esperanza is still bobbing along through the Bay of Biscay - the winds have eased somewhat, making the journey a little less bumpy. It's still sunny, but it's as move north towards France, the weather has grown colder, and we hear rumous of snow in western France
It's time to introduce some more of our guests - the people who have brought their own groups into alliance with us in the battle against genetically modified food.
We have on board Christine Thelen, an organic farmer from Larzac in the south of France, where she keeps sheep for milking. Like José Bové, she's also involved with Les Faucheurs Volontaires d'OGM, a voluntary group of farmers and other ordinary people, formed to uproot experimental field trials of genetically engineered crops. Christine has been involved in non-violent activism since 1979, when she joined the same farmer's protest as José in Larzac, against the expansion of a military base. It was at this time, she says, that she recognised the "importance of fighting for society to evolve into a better world, more equal and equitable".
Continue reading "Christine Thelen: Opposing Industrial Logic" »
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Olivier Keller is from Ardeche in France, where he has a organic farm of small fruit and chestnuts. An activist since 1973, he's the national secretary of Confédération Paysanne (farmers union), with particular focus on GMOs. He contributed to the creation of the union of farm workers, and has been involved in every action carried out by the farmer’s movement since the successful protest against the expansion of the Larzac military base. Olivier has been fighting against GMOs since 1996 - he's been involved in cutting GE crops and providing legal assistance to unions and voluntary GE reapers.
Continue reading "Olivier Keller: Food should be a right - like air or water!" »
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Posted by Dave at 04:40 PM, January 26, 2005
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It's now 15:22 hours - the sun is still beating down on the Bay of Biscay, and our quarry (it sounds like the Holy Grail) the GE bulk carrier Golden Lion is in sight, several miles away across the white-tipped waves. I wonder if its crew know of the international media attention they are drawing, or what awaits them in Lorient. There must be discussions now, across the messroom table, concerning the controversial nature of their cargo, and the blue ship with rainbow stripes that is a few miles behind, escorting them to France, and their impending reception in France, where the 'mobilisation' of activists awaits.
On board the Esperanza, the weather is too rough for deck work. Some people are up on the bridge, watching the sea. Others are in the campaign room, working on articles, translations and reports, or making phone calls. Outside, the wind is whipping up 'white horses' - spinning wisps of spray, galloping along the tops of the waves.
- Dave
Continue reading "Hunting The Golden Lion" »
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Travelling on board the Esperanza is French farmer José Bové, a man famous across France, and known around the world for his audacious acts. Back in the seventies, he campaigned against the French government, when they tried to turn the beautiful plateau of Larzac in the South of France, to turn it into an military base. Since then, he's organised a "Ploughing the Champs Elysee" in Paris against EU set-aside policy, and grazed sheep under the Eiffel Tower. He's managed to acquire the affectionate nickname 'Asterix' - on account of his impressive moustache, and his penchant for fighting for what he believes in.
Continue reading "Meet José Bové!" »
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Right now, we're off the north west coast of Spain - we passed by Finisterre early this morning - the end of the world! By afternoon, we'll be in the Bay of Biscay. The Esperanza is sailing head-on into a force 8 gale, and still trailing The Golden Lion, the ship carrying 32,000 tonnes of genetically engineered soya. The weather is actually good - in that we're in a high-pressure zone, and the sun is blasting in the window. Despite this, the waves are breaking over the bows, driven on by a 45-knot wind. Standing on the bridge wing to take photos, you've got to be ready to duck whenever a big shower of spray arrives - or else risk a soaking.
Continue reading "Sneaky, Dodgy Food" »
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Posted by Dave at 07:07 AM, January 25, 2005
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It's early in the morning. There's a bunch of us spread between two inflatables, 100 miles or so off the coast of Portugal, trailing along behind the Greenpeace ship Esperanza. To the west, the Atlantic shimmers below a nearly full moon. To the east, the first dusty purple promises of dawn are appearing. A couple of miles away a massive bulk container ship - The Golden Lion ploughs through the waves, laden down with genetically engineered soya animal feed from Argentina, destined for French farms...
Continue reading "Down, Not Out" »
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