August 3 – 7, 2005

Resolution Urging the Prohibition of Release of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (“GURTs”)

Bearing in mind that Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, innovations and practices have developed and nurtured plant species for agriculture and medicinal uses for millennia, contributing to both biological and cultural diversity; and

Bearing in mind that Indigenous Peoples depend on the sharing and exchange of saved seeds for their livelihoods; and

Bearing in mind that the productivity and fertility of seeds is the basis for the on-going sustenance, livelihoods, and cultural life-ways of Indigenous Peoples; and

Affirming by virtue of their human right of self-determination, Indigenous Peoples have the right to food sovereignty and food security; and

Taking note that Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTs), also known as “Terminator Technology,” refers to plants that have been genetically modified to render sterile seeds at harvest, thereby preventing the practice of seed saving and threatening food sovereignty and food security; and

Reminded that the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) decided in their sixth meeting (Paragraph 21 of decision VI/5) to establish an Ad Hoc Technical Experts Group (AHTEG) to address the potential impacts of GURTs on smallholder farmers, indigenous and local communities and farmers; and

Taking note that the AHTEG found that the potential negative affects of GURTS  require the ongoing implementation of the precautionary principle to insure that the rights, safety and food security of Indigenous and local communities are not threatened; and

Taking note that the AHTEG report found that GURTs has many possible negative impacts on Indigenous peoples, which include the potential to:
1)    reduce and limit traditional seed exchange practices;
2)    reduce the knowledge and local innovation capacity of local and indigenous communities for crop improvement, threatening local food security;
3)    precipitate the loss of local knowledge, reduce or negatively affect local agrobiodiversity, and result in a deterioration of indigenous knowledge systems;
4)    displace traditional farming systems and the social, cultural and spiritual dimensions associated with them;
5)    cause seed dependency or crop failure through the potential misuse of unintentional use of GURTs seeds;
6)    negatively and irreversibly create changes in the environment caused by geneflow or other problems with environmental containment; and
7)    facilitate the appropriation of some elements of indigenous traditional knowledge and genetic resources in a permanent and irreversible manner.

Recognizing that any field testing or any commercial use or other release of GURTs is a fundamental violation of the human rights of Indigenous Peoples, a breach of our right of self-determination, and a threat to our rights of food sovereignty and food security;

Considering that the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Article 8(j) of the CBD  will further consider the social, economic, and cultural impacts of GURTs on Indigenous Peoples at its 4th meeting on January 23-27, 2006 in Grenada, Spain;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT

The International Indian Treaty Council calls upon the WG8J to advise the Eighth meeting of Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP8) that GURTs is a dangerous technology that threatens biodiversity, Indigenous knowledge systems, small holder farmers and global food security;

The International Indian Treaty Council calls upon CBD COP8 to fully consider the AHTEG Report on GURTs, and approve the Report’s recommendation that governments develop national regulations to prohibit commercialization of GURTs;

In light of the continued lack of data on the potential negative impacts on Indigenous and local communities and Farmers’ Rights and in line with the precautionary approach, International Indian Treaty Council will advocate that the COP8 should not approve GURTs for field-testing and commercial use and reaffirm paragraph 23 of its decision V/5; and

The International Indian Treaty Council will continue to advocate that the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and the CBD Secretariat must ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in all future processes of the CBD related to GURTs; and

The International Indian Treaty Council will support Indigenous Peoples’ efforts to develop and disseminate educational materials about GURTs and its cultural, social and economic impacts on Indigenous Peoples.

Adopted by consensus, August 7, 2005