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GE - More on NZ uprootings

> even more from New Zealands Wild Greens . 
>. . 
> 
>In the early hours of Thursday 11th March, a dozen people jumped the 
>fence at the Crop and Food Research Centre at Lincoln, just outside of 
>Christchurch. 
> 
>Within minutes an experimental genetically modified potato crop was 
>destroyed and a $200,000 research project was ruined. The experiment 
>involved mixing the genes of potatoes with genetic material from toads 
>and silkworms to make the potatoes rot resistant. 
> 
>The timing was perfect. Opposition to genetically modified food has been 
>growing and the debate about Genetically modified food was one of the 
>major political issues this week, with even the Prime Minister suddenly 
>announcing she was in favour of labelling GM food the day after the 
>government called labelling "costly and unworkable". 
> 
>Considering that this was the first major act of sabotage by 
>environmental activists in this country for as long as most people can 
>remember, the reaction to it was quite good. 
> 
>The most common reaction by environmental group leaders was an attitude 
>of cautious support or "understanding" of the sabotage. 
> 
>The predictable exception was Greenpeace NZ. These corporate scum posing 
>as environmental activists put out a media release condemning the 
>attack, presumably on the grounds that a media stunt by a bunch of 
>yuppies in silly costumes is a more effective way of attracting 
>donations. 
> 
>Most of the media were quick to use the word "eco-terrorism" to describe 
>the nonviolent act of uprooting some potatoes. 
> 
>The sabotage was claimed by a group called the Wild Greens who are the 
>direct action youth branch of the green party. 
> 
>A spokesperson for the Wild Greens, Nandor Tanczos, spent last week 
>doing a national speaking tour of universities explaining the philosophy 
>of the Wild Greens. More info on thier beliefs and aims can be found on 
>their website 
> 
>http://www.econation.org.nz/ 
> 
>They support building a grassroots direct action movement against 
>environmental destruction which sounds great, but the main problem I 
>have is they are linked to the reformist Green Party and this shows in 
>their policies promoting vague ideas about "green business" and "good 
>government". 
> 
>Meanwhile security has been stepped up at Ruakura Agricultural Research 
>Station (The biggest vivisection lab in the southern hemisphere) where 
>genetically modified cows are being bred, and at other crop research 
>labs around the country. 
>