Posted on 30-10-2003
Denationed
by Alan Marston
The lifting of the moratorium on Genetically Engineered organisms
in field
trials and agriculture in New Zealand is the clearest signal
yet that the
global economy has no room for national sovereignty. Nations
are well on
the way out, leaving the package but not the contents. This
has deep
implications for every individual raised on a concept of democracy
housed
in a parliament and institutions keeping the peace.
Facts say we've been denationed
More than two-thirds of New Zealanders don't want it, exporters
fear it may
cost them their marketing edge, and the latest scientific evidence
warns
against it but the New Zealand Labour Government has decided
we're
getting it anyway. At midnight last night New Zealand's people
have been
forced to bow before a corporate agenda that wants the commercialisation
and control of food and agriculture and sees genetically engineered
organisms (GE) as a potent tool to achieve that. Thousands of
New
Zealanders, by every measure a majority, did not want the moratorium
on GE
lifted, their democratic voice has been ignored and that marks
more than
just a danger of contaminated food and agricultural goods, more
than just
the specter of GE animals including humans. The whole concept
and practise
of nations is undermined, without any obvious alternative to
put in its
place except letting government out to contract a la Iraq. Dangerous
ground.
The history of the GE debate is now well known, the future of
course is
not. Nevertheless it is pretty obvious that the deep pain felt
after
being run over by anything, especially by those you vote and
pay for, will
motivate many people to direct action where democratic action
has failed.
New Zealand will now experience the effects of ignoring people's
legitimately held and legitimately made economic and political
demands.
Initially nothing like the frustrations that overflow in the
Middle East
and Far East, in New Zealand young people in particular will
now be
strongly inclined to cast respect for institutions and all other
cautions
to the wind when they contemplate and act out a political need.
New Zealand, a pioneer in so many social movements over the
last 150yrs may
well lead again, but before we do there is going to be hell
to play.
|