Commencing March 4 to March 20 the Allow Golden Rice Now Campaign will tour the Philippines, Bangladesh, and India where vitamin A deficiency is a major cause of child mortality. Two million children and many mothers die each year from a lack of this essential vitamin. It is the greatest cause of child death today. Golden Rice is the obvious cure, but because it was created with genetic science, Greenpeace and the anti-GMO movement fervently oppose it.
In 2014, the Allow Golden Rice Now campaign conducted 3 European tours where most of the opposition to Golden Rice and GMO’s is based. We reached over 30 million people through the media with a positive message on Golden Rice.
On August 8, 2013, Greenpeace instigated the destruction of Golden Rice scientific field trials at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines. The Allow Golden Rice Society is actively campaigning for the acceptance of Golden Rice so it can be delivered to the 200 million children who are deficient in vitamin A.
“If Golden Rice were a cure for cancer, malaria, or Ebola, it would have been approved 10 years ago. In that time, 20 million people, mostly children, have died. This is a crime against humanity,” stated Dr. Patrick Moore, leader of the campaign. “All we ask is that Greenpeace and their allies make an exception for Golden Rice to their opposition to GM crops”, continued Dr. Moore. “Millions of lives are at stake.”
The members of the of the Golden Rice South Asia Tour are:
Dr. Patrick Moore (Canada) Ecologist, Co-Founder and Former Greenpeace Campaigner, Now Leader and Spokesperson for the Allow Golden Rice Campaign.
Horst Rehberger (Germany) a senior politician who had held Cabinet positions in State Government. He supports biotechnology and nuclear energy, contrary to the majority in Germany.
Uwe Schrader (Germany) a PhD in biology, expert in biotechnology, Head of InnoPlanta, a partnership of farmers and scientists working to promote biotechnology.
Hans-Jörg Jacobsen (Germany) Head of Plant Biotechnology, Institute of Plant Genetics of Leibniz University of Hanover. He is a member of the board of the Nature Conservation Forum Germany (NaFor), chairman of the Society of Plant Biotechnology. Hans-Jörg has spent much time in Bangladesh.
Eileen Moore (Canada) An early campaigner with Greenpeace. Represents families and women for the Allow Golden Rice campaign.
Paul Evans (Australia) Paul has joined the campaign recently to provide communications, social media, and website support.
The Tour will begin with a field trip to the International Rice Research Institute near Manila, the lead agency internationally for the development of Golden Rice. In each city there will be media conferences to inform the media and interested citizens on the importance of Golden Rice and to challenge the inhumane opposition to its introduction. You will be informed of the time and location of the media conferences in a following media release. The tour members will meet with government and industry representatives and hold public demonstrations against Greenpeace and their allies.
“It is a testament to the uncaring attitude of Greenpeace and the anti-GMO movement that they will not drop their opposition to Golden Rice,” stated Dr. Moore. “Golden Rice has been proven to deliver vitamin A to both adults and children so there is certainty that it could save millions of lives. Can you imagine the grief of millions of parents who watch helplessly while their young children perish before their eyes”?
Patrick Moore:
pmoore@allowgoldenricenow.org
Media Contact:
paulevans18@yahoo.co.uk
Website: [url=http://www.allowgoldenricenow.org]http://www.allowgoldenricenow.org[/url]
Facebook: allowgoldenricenow
Twitter: @ecosensenow
