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SYGENetics - at Last

What follows is SYGENetics (issue No.1 - wahay): this is the text only -  for
the real thing download attached file and open in publisher - includes a
cartoon by Kate Evans.

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SYGENetics Issue No.1

NOT ANOTHER GENETIX RANT !? 
As I was looking through my huge pile of genetics publications, trying to get
inspired to write this article, it struck me that there are too many
publications on genetics. The amount of information out there on the subject
is colossal - it is a monumental task educating yourself about it. 

Yet it is only a small piece of the whole picture, and even scientists know
very little about Genetic Engineering (GE), which is one of the most
frightening things. And when we know so little, how can the human race dare to
take genes out of one species of plant or animal and put them in another? How
can they dare to irreversibly release them into the environment to cross-
pollinate and breed at will? And most of all, how can they dare to risk all
our futures for the sole purpose of financial gain? 
And as all these thoughts went through my head, I realised there can never be
too many publications. There is such a huge amount to know, and information is
our greatest weapon. We have to act to protect our future, our children and
our environment. 

No-one can escape from genetic engineering - it affects the one thing every
single human being on this planet has in common - we all have to eat. Even if
you remove Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) entirely from your diet,
something everyone should try to do, it’s still out there in our environment.
We are all being lied to; we have always been lied to, but most people find it
easier to ignore than to try to fight the Government and Industry with all
their resources and spin-doctoring. But when the corporations control every
scrap of food on our plates, when the Government will risk our lives, health
and environment for the sake of a few dollars more, we must stand up and say
no. 
So never get disheartened; we can retake control of our food and our lives and
we will. The opposition to GMO’s is huge, impossible to ignore, and the
corporations are beginning to run scared. Hundreds of environmental, social,
animal and human rights groups are joining together because it is all the same
battle. Corporate global dominance is the common enemy, the root of it all;
short-term financial gain. 
The enemy may be unimaginably huge; yet the smallest things effectively fight
it; from avoiding GM food to pulling up mutant crops, all are equally valid.
We can, we will and we must  win. 

SYGEN  is not a group /campaign, but a network of groups, campaigns and
individuals who seek to oppose the imposition of genetiX into our lives. By
informing each other and inspiring to action we can demand that this genetiX
madness stops & take back control of our own futures! 

GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION 18 JUNE 1999 
Accross the country and accross the world resistance to the imposition of
Genetix is growing, which governments are finding increasingly hard to ignore.
In the face of  this Monsanto, Zeneca and co have vowed to fight any
opposition to their plans in the EU and WTO courts. Global ‘free trade’
agreements allow corporations to sue governments for restricting their trade,
hereby effectively taking away a nation’s right to decide its own destiny. 
June 18th 1999 is a global day of action, timed to coincide with the summit
of the Group of Seven (G7) richest nation-states - in Koln, Germany. We will
be told again that economic globalistaion, ‘free’ trade and corporate
dominance is the only way. We are aiming for the heart of the global economy:
the financial centres, the banking districts and the multi-national corprate
power bases. If not for them, Monsanto et al would not, could not, exist!  
The square mile that represents the City of London is the largest centre of
global and corporate capitalism in the world. There are more American banks in
London than in New York! Its stock exchange and investment centres are the
worlds largest. Internationally people are mobilising to demand that the real
backers of Genetix hear our anger at their madness. 
The action/protest is in the spirit of strengthening international networks
for equality, freedom and ecological sustainability. All sympathetic movements
and groups are encouraged to organise their own autonomous protests/actions on
the same day, June 18th, the same place, financial districts - around the
world.  

At a supermarket near you.... 
Supermarkets, according to a leaked Monsanto report are unhappy with bearing
the brunt of protest against GMOs. Given that they are the biggest purchasers
of this frankenstein food now is the time to pile on the pressure:- 
Beware Sainsburys tomato puree, its been genetically modified. So has
Safeways! Co-op vegetarian cheese is also a biohazard as is Marks & Spencers
sushii!! Tesco soups, pies and sausage pies should also be seen as a no no!!
ASDA stores have an abundance of genetically mutated productes, like its
“Thosand Island” dressing..the list is endless. 
On a positive note Iceland has banned GMOs from own brand products as have
Spar. Kellogg’s, Heinz, Linda McCartney, Plamil, Suma, Rainbow, Granose,
Infinity, Cauldron and Haldane products are all GMO free. And nothing beats
organic. 
For regularly updated online lists of products made with GMOs:http://i:am/gm
or 
<http://www.vea.ac.uk/>http://www.vea.ac.uk/~F098/gmlist.htm. 
HOW TO DO No. 1 (A SERIES OF 12!!) 
SUPERMARKET ACTIONS. These can be done as an individual, but the more the
better!! 
Stickering and Leafletting - get hold of loads of stickers/leafllets (try
Greenpeace, WEN, FOE, GEN or the Green Party:: contacts below) or better still
make up your own (Totnes Genetics Group can email text etc.). Go into a
supermarket and sticker their genetically modified goods (see above for
details) and/or hand out leaflets .providing information about the issues,
with possibly details of meetings/actions...  Its fun, allegedly. 
Banner Drop - design a banner (more colourful is generally more eye catching).
Check out a supermarket and find a suitable place to hang the banner from (a
tree, multi-storey carpark, bridge, or lamp-post are favoured), and do it! 
Trolley Runs - get a trolley. Fill it up with known (or unknown! please keep
in touch) bio-hazards (those containing soya, maize and tomatoes are a good
bet).  Put them through the checkout and when asked to pay ask if they are GMO
free. They won’t be sure so ask to speak to the manager and explain your
concerns about GMO food and the unknown effects it will have on both us and
the environment (make sure you are loud enough). Ask him or her to sign a
contract guareentering that the GMO food is safe (GEN have a brilliant legal
contract available to use).  You’ll leave, a disgruntled customer, unless they
throw you out ( but that’s the best bit!) 
Reclaim The Supermarkets (RTS??)...   
Best of all, you can use your imagination! 
If you are planning an action and want to let others know about it or if
you’ve got a report about one then let SYGENetics know and we’ll put it about.
Clones converge on Centre for Lies 
On the 19th Jan.  20 faceless clones greeted the many big genetics bods who
came for the 'Making biotechnology Happens' conference in Newcastle. The
delegates to the conference were confronted by the the message 'Bad Science +
Big Business = Bad News'.  
This was all taking place at the International Centre for Life which is trying
to be the centre for Genetics in Britain. Millions of Millennium money is
being spent on its three parts: the Genetics Institute (new home for the
University's genetics experiments), BioSience area (a very flash subsidised
office development for bio-tech companies) and the Helix (a theme-park museum
promoting genetic engineering). The Centre for Lies is peddling sexy
propaganda about how great genetic engineering is. It will also be acting as
the Centre for Death making sure that what they call "defects" (ie disabled
people) never live.  
For more information about GeneNo look at: 
<http://www.newcastle54.freeserve.co.uk/>http://www.newcastle54.freeserve.c
o.uk/geneno1.html 

THE INTER CONTINENTAL CARAVAN 
In the run up to the G8 summit, activists from deprived countries across the
globe are coming to tour Europe, uniting North and South in the fight against
corporate power, finance and global free 'trade'. Last May saw 200,000 on the
streets of Hyderabad for the global day of actions; in October Indian Farmers
began "Cremate Monsanto"; this Summer they're doing it over here! The
'Caravan' will be 500 Indians and 100 from  other countries and continents,
and they'll reach the UK at the end of May. To get involved: 07970 896 736.  
Web-site:<http://stad.dsl.nl/~caravan/>http://stad.dsl.nl/~caravan/ 

As part of the build up to the June 18th Day of Action, SYGEN are maintaining
an E-mail network. For campaigns, groups and individuals who wish to get
involved, internationally, nationally or locally, in the build up to the
action. Nothing is edited and all freely available. E-mail :pp3mo@aol.com
(SYGEN in the heading). 

Dates for your diary.... 
30 March - 4 April, It is 350 years since the Diggers squatted a piece of
barren land at St. George's Hill, Surrey, erecting huts and housing over 100
people. To commemorate this, there are events planned.  The Land Is Ours 01865
722016 or email: tony@gaia.org 
1st April, RTS (Reclaim The Supermarkets).  Throughout the North and
Nationally! See above for details. 
17th April, ‘Silent Spring’ Mass Snowball Actions accross the UK. Tel: 0161
834  0295. SAE to One World Centre, 6 Mount Street, Manchester. M2 5NS. 
18th June, Day of Action - Globally. For meetings, details and transport to
London from Yorkshire contact  SYGEN at the address below (include an sae,
pease!). 
25th - 27th June, Glastonbury Festival. SYGEN will have an interactive,
theatrical genetiX experience in the Green Futures Field (subject to
confirmation). Come visit.. 

**COPSE, the history of non-violent direct action throughout the 90’s  in
words, photographs and the Cartoons of Kate Evans, £10 (plus 
£2.55 p+p) available from SYGEN. Cheques & POs made payable to Orange Dog
Productions. 

INFORMATION AND CONTACTS: 
GENETIC ENGINEERING NETWORK (GEN):PO Box 9656, London, N4 4JY.Tel: 0181 374
9516 Email: genetics@gn.apc.org  
website:<http://www.dmac.co.uk/gen.html>http://www.dmac.co.uk/gen.html
regular newsletter, up to date info etc.. 
Friends Of the Earth (FoE):26-28 Underwood St., London. N1 2PN. Tel: 0171 490
1555. Calling for a moratorium in UK. 
Green Party,1a Waterlow Road, London. N19 5NJ.      Tel: 0171 272 4474. 
E-mail: gptyoffice@gn.apc.org    GMO free school dinners campaign. 
Greenpeace, Canonbury Villas, Islington, London. Tel: 0171 865 8222. 
Involved in non-violent direct action campaign 
Women’s Environmental Network (WEN), 87 Worship Street, London. EC2 4BE. Tel:
0171 247 9924. Good source of information. 
Worthing Genetix Campaign: c/o harmony beauty & complementary, rowlands road,
worthing west sussex. Tel: 01903-521910. e-mail: genetix@worthing.eco-
action.org 
Contact regionally about June 18th. 
Norfolk Genetic Information Network:email:mail@icsenglish.com  Contact for
June 18th  
Totnes Genetics Group: Apple Barn, Week, Dartington, nr Totnes, Devon. TQ9
6JP. Tel: 01803 840098 fax: 01803 864591. E-mail: info@togg.freeserve.co.uk 
South West  contact for June 18th. Very active community based campaign group.
Animal Rights and June 18th: Check out the Animal Rights calendar 180-188
Mansfield Road  Nottingham  UK  NG1 3HW  E-Maill:veggies@innotts.co.uk 
<http://www.innotts.co.uk/~rainbow/veggies>http://www.innotts.co.uk/~rainbo
w/veggies 
Compiling list of Animal Abusers for June 18th     
EARTH FIRST! AU: c/o Cornerstone Resource Centre, 16 Sholebroke Avenue, Leeds.
LS7 3HB.  Tel: 0113 262 9365  E-mail: actionupdate@gn.apc.org 
Regular newsletter, reports on GE actions etc. 
A SEED: PO Box 92066 , 1090 Amsterdam, Netherlands. Tel: 0031 20 6682236 
E-mail: aseedeur@antenna.nl International conatct for June 18th. 
RTS (Reclaim The Streets): PO Box 9656, London. N44JY.  Tel: 0171 281 4621  E-
mail: rts@gn.apc.org   Regular meetings about June 18th.  
McSpotlight
:<http://www.mcspotlight.org/>http://www.mcspotlight.org/><http://www.mcspot
light.org/>http://www.mcspotlight.org/ Regularly
updated website, including June 18  

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