Hannilie Zulu

Africa's Stolen Biodiversity - Patenting Life

Administrator — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 19:18:00 GMT

It is said that justice denied somewhere is justice denied everywhere. Taking a closer look at the world economy, it is frightening to see that just as politicians and economists manipulate and abuse the poor people's rights in the South, the same is happening to the innocent people in the North. These citizens pay huge sums of money through tax payments on medicine and food and other products to enrich the giant Northern pharmaceuticals and agriculture companies. The same companies go to Africa and take Africa's knowledge on local herbs, plants, livestock germ, seeds. Etc. Trademark and patent it monopolising Africa's indigenous knowledge and resources, hindering the Africans access to the same resources. Africa is rich in useful products for mankind such as -Medicinal drugs, Agricultural products, Pest control products, Food and food supplements and Cosmetics, etc. But these are not for the Africans.

Ironically, the world's giant pharmaceuticals, and agriculture companies dominating both the medicine and agri-business sue each other and all other small companies to court when they 've returned home from Africa. A hundred companies can end up patenting one plant and call the act lawful ending up dragging each other to court in their own countries. Thus, 100 companies can patent 1 tree all claiming their rights and who came to the tree first. Should pharmaceuticals, and agriculture companies be taking each other to court when they have stolen the seeds, the plants and the trees (indigenous people's resources) from Africa? Do they forget that all this they took without asking the Africans and other continents of the South?

When reading history on the subject of slavery and colonialism we are always reminded about Christopher Columbus' words when he arrived in America and saw how the Indians lived. He remarked: "They.brought us parrots and balls of cotton and spears and many other things.They willingly traded everything they owned. They do not bear arms. They would make fine servants.with fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want". The same acts prevail today.

Biodiversity is Africa's richest asset. But the knowledge the African people posses is now used by Scientist in the advanced nations turning Africa's plants, and herbal knowledge into medicine. Africa is losing billions of dollars from its stolen biodiversity. Corporations from the advanced nations; companies and individuals steal Africa's indigenous knowledge of local resources, without giving it a thought.

Moreover, even if the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, found in 183 countries acknowledges the sovereignty of countries when it comes to genetic and biological resources, no firms or individuals from the North have lived according to the UN Convention as these laws lack the law against theft. Thus, Africa's resources are left open to bio exploitation. In other words the laws created in the advanced nations qualifies the overdeveloped nations to get patent laws designed to exploit Africa.

The process is simple; African herbalists and individuals are identified and interviewed in Africa's local communities. The Africans tell how plants and herbs are collected from soil, mountains, bushes, forests, gardens, farms Etc. Which time of season and year the plants, herbs and seeds are available and much more. Data is recorded by the vivitors and entered into computers for analysis. Imagine this, if a country like Madagascar has species of about 10,000 plants of which 80% are endemic what more with each country in Africa? To add to that 90% of Madagascar's forests have been destroyed because of the North fighting for its life saving plants. Two of the country's famous plants the Rosy Periwinkle, generates $100 million annually for Eli Lily. But Madagascar receives nothing in return. Africa's biodiversity is being wiped out. Also through tourism, western agriculture systems, religion, wrong harvesting patterns, and global piracy, to name just a few.

Tourism - has been and is one of Africa's nature's biggest destroyers. Example trees like the Canthium Glabriflorumis hare disappearing from the continent because they are used for carving handcrafts and artworks for tourists' souvenir. The Western and European agriculture system did not and does not suit Africa. The changing patterns in the agriculture systems have not only led to the disappearing of plants but have also led to gene engineering of the plants and patenting these plants

Most of Africa's plants have also been destroyed because of beliefs and religion. Christianity has been one of the greatest destroyers of Africa's herbs, plants, and its seeds. Africans used to have medicinal plants planted around their homes so that it was easy to get access to them. Some of the plants were used to chase away evil spirits. But all this was done away and destroyed as Christianity invaded the continent. In this way most of Africa's life giving plants have disappeared from the continent. Also the modern type of harvesting lack Africa's traditional system of carefully choosing from its biodiversity growth, which sustained all life in African fields. It also allowed a plant to survive while bad weather or insects could destroy another. Still the African farmer had something to eat. Biodiversity fought pests, and insects could eat the plant they liked and looked away from the one they did not like. But if one looks at Africa today from 1999 alone Africa imports more than this estimated market value of insect services pollination - US $ 117 billion per year, for soil fertility - US $ 17 trillion per year, and predation and parasitism - US $ 417 billion per year. Destruction of the environment and biodiversity in Africa is occurring at an alarming speed due to genetic engineered pressure from the advanced nations inorder to put patent on all life. Globalisation has caused the USA and Europe's pharmaceuticals and agricultures giant industries to increasingly demand Africa's seeds, herbs, trees, livestock germ etc.

This is another reason Africa is fed with food subsides from the USA and European giant agribusinesses, to kill the traditional seed in order to destroy the last biodiversity found on the continent. Destruction of biodiversity loss of a vast wealth of useful species of Seeds, Plants, Microorganisms, Arthropods, and other animals, all sources lead to useful products for mankind. But with the rapid destruction of biodiversity in Africa, India, and everywhere else in the world there is urgent need for the world citizen to react on patenting life. This is not a process of a systematic search or development or commercialisation and so on. This is a simple way of treating life with respect and not as a commodity. Instead of planting global hate through manipulative chemical economies let us plant global compassion which will produce a new understanding and meaning to life, giving it back its biodiversity which evolves biological species over millions of years before all is lost forever.

Furthermore, Africans are forced to give away their indigenous knowledge and plants that have been passed on the last 1000 years. Africans pay dearly for allowing the advanced nations' pharmaceutical and agriculture companies access to its resources. The pharmaceutical and agriculture companies take and patent Africa's resources never allowing the Africans access to the medicine. To add to that the Africans get nothing out of these deals. The Africans have knowledge to plants that can cure, skin disorder diseases, sores, colic, take way, confusion, anxiety, pain, depression and plants that can promote concentration. Most of these plants like the Bourbon also known as the Geranium is used in depression drugs all over the world today, but Africa gets nothing out of these deals.

Talking about depression: The Scientists from the University of Newcastle, Australia examined the impact of the materialistic approach to life. And found that materialistic people were more likely to suffer depression and anger. They were also vulnerable to being conformist. The scientists found out that this kind of people were less likely to be satisfied with their life or even be interested in the environment. One doctors said: "While the possession of conspicuous goods may be equated with success, happiness and seen as a goal in itself, it is associated neither with global life satisfaction and psychological health, nor with a love of life or concern for the environment." The report continued that materialistic people judged success and failure on the basis of personal possessions. Furthermore that materialistic people saw social recognition as important, supporting the notion that materialism is largely based on social comparisons. How can it be possible that the North who have made most industries blossom through the IFI continue to treat the South the same way through piracy, abuse, manipulation, negligence, plunder and insults suffer depression from having so much?

Another example on patenting life: The Hoodia Cactus is a plant that grows in the Kalahari Desert, the home to the San people. The Kalahari Desert stretches from Botswana, Namibia to South Africa. The San people have chewed the cactus for 1000 years. The plant has medicinal properties and starves off hunger enabling the San hunters to walk long miles. The San people have more than 300 classes of botanists. But a UK company which was also asked by the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial research (CSIR) took the indigenous people's knowledge, changed the name Hoodia Cactus to Phytopharm and patented the plant P57 as an appetite suppressing ingredient. The Hoodia Cactus (Phytopharm) made a lot of sales in the slimming diet department 1998 that the CSIR sold the right to licence the drug to Pfizer, USA's giant pharmaceutical company. The revenue of these pills skyrocketed into millions of dollars. The collaborators went happily to the banks while the San people the owners of the disappearing plant and the owners of the indigenous knowledge got nothing as their debt rose.

The San people discovered this and sued all parties in involved. They agreed in paying 8% by helping to build "schools and a few clinics". But also Dr Marthinus Horak head of the CSIR argued that he did not know that the San people were still a living people. He stated. "I always believed that these Bushmen (The San people) had died out and I am sorry to hear that they feel hard done by. I am delighted that they are still around and have a recognisable community. The ownership of medicinal plants is extremely complex, but I have always believed that this type of knowledge is the most valuable asset of indigenous tribes. Instead of weaving baskets and taking tourists around, royal payments from medicines could transform prospects."

Another example the Uvaria Klaineri: Also called the mystery plant was taken out of Africa and patented. The Pharmaceutical multinationals owning it today still continue to deny affordable H.I.V. and A.I.D.S. drugs to Africa. The biotech giant like Aventis have managed to access and patent new drugs from African plant life. Venturing into Gabon, the Aventis emerged with a US patent (#6,579,903, 17 June 2003) on compounds taken from a small-known vine called Uvaria klaineri. According to Aventis' patent, the plant produces chemicals that inhibit cell growth. It is Aventis' hope to capitalise on the plant as to develop new cancer drugs that interfere with the growth of tumours.

Many different Uvaria species are used in traditional medicine in West, Central, and East Africa. In Gambia, the Uvaria chamae bark and leaves are used to treat stomachaches, bronchitis, and fevers. In Sierra Leone and Ethiopia, the fruit of Uvaria species are important bush foods. In many African countries, Uvaria medicines are used to treat jaundice and malaria. In Tanzania, Malawi and Zambia the Uvaria are used to treat both people and livestock. The Canadian group ETCGROUP also wrote about the Mystery Plant: "With so many traditional uses, it comes as no surprise that in the past decade several Uvaria species have been the subjects of interest of industry researchers. In 1997, for example, a small US company patented compounds from U. bevistipitata, a species found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, drawing allegations of biopiracy.

According to Aventis submissions to WIPO, it will apply for patents in a total of 105 countries, including Gabon and other African countries." On December 21.2002 in an article titled: "Biopiracy", the New Africa wrote: "If the WTO is the mother of all chicanery, then TRIP is the son" The TRIP work hand in hand with WIPO who also train innocent world citizens to become pirates that use their Ph Ds to steal, and kill in the South. Ironically WIPO and TRIP have a very few citizens from the advanced nations working for them. They educate and continue to train and give certificates to the people of the South so that it becomes easy for these people to rob their own countries' knowledge and resources. In this sense one can say that a degree and PhD for an African is like having a gun in hand to steal and rob the fellow African.

Another good example: On April 9th 2001 South Africa's IPS/Anthony Stoppard wrote:" South Africa has sold the rights to develop new strains of flowers from the country's many unique plants to a private international company - at a time when scientists have warned that global warming is threatening many of these species with extinction in their natural habitat." The report continued that South Africa's National Botanical Institute (NBI) had sold to the USA based Ball Horticultural Company the rights to develop the country's plants for sale on international markets, in return for royalties. But it is told that though the deal was signed 3 years ago they haven't received any royalties, except for the $125,000 grant to start the project. According to NBI Central Executive Officer Brian Huntley, the agreement only allowed Ball Horticultural Company access to 25 species a year for five years, of 125 of South Africa's 22,000 indigenous plants.

Have you been wondering how one can steal livestock germ? Here is a good example; Let us take Zambia on how livestock germ was is stolen. Zambia has the Tuli and the Baron cow. The cattle have an excellent beef quality and high fertility. It also has high resistance to environmental stress. But in 1987 some Australians known as the Boran and Tuli Producers Consortium in conjunction with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) collected Zambia's Tuli and Boran cattle embryos from Zambia and Zimbabwe and flew them to the Cocos Islands in Costa Rica. In 1988 they planted these embryos in their surrogated cattle and, in 1990 the new calves called the " Aussies" landed in Australia. When the second breed of the Boran and Tuli embryo was going to sell in 1994 in Australia, the price for each embryo was AS$5, 500. Which would have been KW19, 117,005.00 in Zambia. But Zambia and Zimbabwe got nothing out the Tuli and Boran embryo deal. The Canadian group ETCGROUP say that Zambia and Zimbabwe should have received 5% of the Boran and Tuli commercial gain, or $40 million dollars each year. Amazingly enough Zambia's debt is doubling by day. And there are many other similar cases in Zambia.
I could go with examples but those who want to understand what has been patented you can visit the US patent office online. Take your time and think, here Roses have been patented, mangoes and all kinds of fruits and vegetables.

The Case of the African stolen biodiversity raises a lot of questions. The West and the Europeans call Africa's plants and seeds " poorly documented plants" thus these plants are patented. And how, why, and from whom do corporate firms acquire these plants? Was the collection and transfer permitted and if so, by whom, and did the agreement, if any, fulfil obligations under the convention on Biological Diversity? Have the knowledge and resources of traditional communities in Gabon or other countries been used? Has the patent been approved by traditional communities and Africa's governments? Aren't these cases of biopiracy?

If some plants cannot be patented, can specific genes copied from Africa's seeds variety be the subjects of patents? The answer is no. If the seed, which is the most important reason corporate firms the IFI (WTO+WB+IMF) through the TRIP and WIPO, need to patent why should they have it when it has belonged to Africa's farmers and people for the last 1000 years? How can a seed that is genetically engineered be patented? Who has allowed that these acts be practised? These rules have been put up by the IFI to keep taking what belongs to the African continent.

They know that it is easy to steal from Africa because the Africans have been denied of a true education and true information and the right to write their own history. So, when the IFI have invaded and destroyed Africa through gene banks and patents, will Africans benefit from their stolen properties? No. All medicines and creations collected and created from Africa's knowledge, trees, herbs, seeds, plants, livestock germ, leave Africa forever never to return as the pirates apply monopoly on each resource. Thus even if the H.I.V. and A.I.D.S. vaccine may come from Africa's Shea tree or the Uvaria and many other exploited life giving trees in Africa, the IFI through the WTO will continue denying Africans the right to their own resources as they always have.

In the process the IFI will keep building orphanages, charity organisations through many other organisation and people, for the African children whose parents die from lack of human rights. Can the IFI learn from slavery, colonial, or the today's (protectionism) protected globalised economy? It is told that the great slave trade ended in 1885, and colonialism in 1960. 75 years passed. So when are we going to start talking about getting rid of protectionism is it another 75 years from now in 2035? Then we ought to start talking about it to give our children a better future. The North must learn from Africa's slavery and colonial error. The African leaders must put their acts together and put up patent offices which shall help create laws that will protect Africa Indigenous knowledge and its biodiversity.

Resources:

Vandana Shiva. Biopiracy: The plunder of Nature and Knowledge, Green Books 1998.
Integrating Intellectual Property Rights and Development Policy, Report of the commission on intellectual Property Rights, London, September 2002.
The Canadian group ETCGROUP

9 Months Old Babies Crush Stones in Lusaka

Administrator — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 18:52:00 GMT

I sat amidst stone crushers near the Kafue Road in Lusaka. Not an easy place to spot. The stone crushers have been hidden behind heaps of piled stones. I sat down with some "elderly" women and their children. Together we talked as they crushed stones. I could not concentrate on our chat, as my thoughts were fixed on one of the crying children that sat next to one of the women, I could tell it was the mother. This was the 6th of June, a cold month in Zambia. It is cold and windy. Even if I'm used to the cold climate of the North, I could feel the cold breeze of June hitting the skin of my bare arms. The children did not have sweaters on and the crying child did not have anything to cover her bottom. There were stones all around her.

The crying child in front of me carried a sad and worn out face. Her face and skin had been torn from the rough wind, the dust, and the stones she was exposed to. When she cried her skin cracked deeper into her face leaving huge marks and large lines in her tiny face. I could tell the tears made her cracked skin more painful. She had many reasons to cry. For a while I kept my eyes off her, as heavy warm tears gathered into my own eyes. Looking at her was painful. I asked for her name and the woman sitting next to the child said. Her name was: 'Taonga' (Meaning 'Thanks')

Taonga, the crying little girl, whose mother was busy crushing stones to meet the deadline, comforted herself by taking a hammer, which was lying next to her and like the mother started hitting on the stones. In her own world she was either playing or copying the mother. She could barely lift the hammer yet she manage very well. Hammers were the only toys these kids had. There were no words that can describe this situation. Helplessly tears ran down my cheeks. I looked up the cloudy blue skies and wondered if truly there was someone watching this kind of oppression in this place. But again, another thought stricked me. How could anyone so far away, watch and do something about this kind of oppression, when the people nearby, the people living in this same town did not do anything to change this situation?

The little girl hit the stones, dropped the hammer, begun crying, stopped crying, picked up the hammer, and started the process over again. Instead of being strong, I felt weaker and weaker. I could hardly speak or move myself. I put my camera and writing papers away and just observed as I waited and gathered strength from my inner senses.

I observed other children in other groups, slowly and silently crush stones. Some children looked as if they were playing with the hammers yet they were in the process of learning. The women sitting on the ground next to me told me that the children became experts in stone crushing when they were around 6 years of age. I thought about the United Nations Rights for kids. About how unfair these rights functioned in our stagnating country. Where were the UN Rights for kids in Zambia? Where were the expatriates who spoke so highly about themselves and their jobs? What about the economists, the Zambian journalists? They could expose this evil on a daily basis until someone somewhere reacted. Were where the priests, the pastors and their rich church members?

One woman told me that the Jesus Christ Ministries came to take some of their children for education. But the children still returned to stone crushing after school. The kids do not have another kind of life. They do not know how to play. Their life is work. And I was still astonished to see children around. I asked the women; if the Jesus Christ Ministry had taken some of the children away to school why were there kids around? The women did not want to answer the question, but the kids told me that they had been going to a school without toilets and water. Thus the school had been closed.

One of the women who told me her name was Esnat Mulenga, looked at me with such a warm smile. I stared back at her between tears and asked her: "How old are you Esnat?" She smiled shyly and said: "I was born in 1979. I'm 25. I started this job in 1999 when I was 20 years old, and this is my first born, she is 9 months old". She pointed at Taonga, the crying child as she held the hammer in her small hands. Where is the father I asked. She told me he was also working as a stone crusher on the Lusaka West road.

I was in shock. I stared at Esnat and was deeply grieved. I was older than Esnat Mulenga but she looked older than my mother. In tears I turned to the other women and asked the same question. Several women told me they were born in 1979 and 1980. Most had started crushing stones in their teens. I felt numb and realised that half the people working in this place were orphans and youths, who just looked 20 times older than average people, because of the oppressed life they had been forced to live. By lunch I could hear most of the infants aged between 4 months and 2 years, crying. I gave their parents some money to buy something, but how long was I going to manage this?

I tried to crush a stone but was told that I needed to learn about the tactics. First, one had to take care of one's fingers, the eyes and the whole body. Then one had to be careful that pieces of stones did not go flying hitting and hurting others. There were more rules. In fact I needed great discipline to fulfil the job. I asked why the children were allowed to crush stones? The answer was psychological. Beacuse the hammer was not used with the same strength as that of an adult.

I asked how much stone was needed to fill up a wheelbarrow, and how much the women and children got for the work done? The women said: "The wheelbarrow must be mountain full and costs 2,500 kwacha (50 USA cents) for a wheelbarrow! I asked how long it took to feel up the wheelbarrow? "It takes a week and some days". Replied a Ms. Soko, one of the women. They all had a wheelbarrow each to fill up. The women did not know who put up the price. But as we talked I saw 4 trucks loading crushed stones unto their trailers. Out in the big world these stones were big business.

I'm very worried, because there is nothing that costs 2,500 kwacha in Zambia. Let alone live on 2,500 for a minute, a day or a week. These women live in shanties, far from home and they have to wake up very early in the mornings to walk to town to work. They need transport, they need to feed their children, pay rent, buy clothes, medicine, water, and they need to feed themselves. How does one do that from a 2,500 kwacha??? Where are Zambia's leaders, where are the International Financial Institutions (IFI) sitting on Zambia's economy, where are the price controllers and all other Zambians??

These people and their babies need protection. Their babies need nursery and education. Proper education. The adults need good salaries, they need gloves, protecting eyeglasses, a good work place and working clothes, food, and the government must provide all these. Unless the government tell us that they have lost all Sovereignty to the International Financial Institutions. (IFI) The stone crushers are hard working and are trying hard to make ends meet. There is no toilet where they work. No water or food. The women complained that most of the children, women and men working as stone crushers die from hunger related diseases, inculding dehydration.

In order for anyone to understand that this is not a woman's, or youth, or 9 months old babies' job or play-ground, one needs to sit with these people and learn to crush stones, feel how it feels, and I challenge all Zambian leaders to try stone crushing. This place is hell on earth. And the only sin these people have committed is to be born on Zambia's soil. Most of these people do not know what weekend or Christmas is. They work through out the year. Unless some church come to remind them it is Sunday, and that they have to keep it holy.

If only churches could ask how much people earn first, before they asked for offering. They would be stunned to learn that even Jesus Christ would get pissed off if he gave one of his children some money or a good resource, and the child gave it all away to a church somewhere. Christ could say: I gave you but you gave it all away. You did not need it. But again how would Christ punish his children, when he knows his beloved ones have been brainwashed to believe that giving everything away brings one blessings, or that Christ gives back? There must be good men and women, good politicians that can save this situation. I have seen men and women drive vehicles costing 200,000 pounds in Lusaka. What's such a car for when fellow Zambians are perishing in poverty?

What amazed me most as I talked with the stone crushers, were the expensive cars that drove by. And the smart drivers who seemed not to care about what they saw. Where were all these rich people heading? I dusted myself and parted with the stone crushers and followed the cars.

They drove to a company, whose name is protected in this article. These people were customers buying kitchen/toilet floors, units, and graveyard monuments. I went inside the offices and asked how much a kitchen unit would cost me? I was told that it all depended on what I wanted and how much I was willing to part with. Some kitchen units went up to 10 million kwacha. Around 3.000 USD. What about tombstones? Ho, this was one hot business. Tombstones were sold daily and started from around a million going up to 6 million. Not to forget people are dying in Zambia. So who were the customers? I asked. I was told that it was mostly those with money. Businessmen, ministers, people who have no problem with money. But are these people blind not to see the suffering people outside the gates? Truly the story of Lazarus from the bible need not be repeated in this case?

Zambians are neglecting the living, and caring for the dead. They rather put 10 million kwacha in the ground covering it all up with expensive tombstones while the living gnash their teeth for mercy. Some go to South Africa just to buy tombstones. My question is; what do people get out of such actions? Do they think the dead will be happy or pleased or sad that they never got an expensive tombstone? I got so disgusted that a decree with my family was made never to lay a tombstone on my grave, but to plant a tree there. That's what our forefathers did. And let the money be used on the living. I talked to a man on the same issue he said: "Zambians are strange people, they fail to preach and to love their families and friends when they are alive. But they preach on their tombstones, putting verses, and showing love when their beloved ones are dead, do they think the dead care?"

I went back to the stone crushers and as I passed by one family, a man asked me to take pictures of him and his family. He also asked me to send the pictures back to him, which I promised I would do through a friend. I took several pictures of his family and the surrounding. Chocked in sorrow, I thought about how so much useful resources and time was spent on the dead and death in Zambia. And how the people could rebuild this nation and eradicate poverty within days if they stood together. But with the False Education done through the radio and the False Godly Mentality of holier than thou that has spread all over Zambia, I wonder how this will be achieved.

There is no connection between Christianity and reality in Zambia. Very few people realise this. For most Zambians, the poor are not doing fine because they are not God fearing. And those doing fine are God fearing. I wonder if Lazarus of the bible was not God fearing when he was poor. Zambians and Politicians must demand new economic laws from their lenders, laws that shall straighten up this country. Zambia is rotting as women and their 9-months and 16- year- old babies perish without love, education, medicine, food and attention. No man has seen God. Thus, Zambians must start saving fellow man first, before they can save God whom they haven't seen. This also means saying no to borrowing money from the International Banks, that prescribe problems as solutions for the people. Without borrowing no man can be a slave.