The Monsanto Tribunal held in the Hague featured over 30 experts testifying against the Creve Couer, MO (near St. Louis) based company in a mock trial for “ecocide” that may be used as the basis for future international legal action.
But while those who testified, including doctors, university professors, agricultural experts and more, were welcomed with open arms, the return home was the exact opposite for one prominent doctor from the country of Argentina.
According to a recent post from the website GMWatch.org, Dr. Damián Verzeñassi found himself embroiled in a serious controversy upon his return home — not to mention locked out of his office by the very people that you may think would be supporting him.
Office Door Chained Shut, Activists Respond
Dr. Verzeñassi testified about the health impacts of GMOs and associated pesticides in The Hague (in the Netherlands), site of the world’s most famous international courtroom.
But upon return to his place of employment, the National University of Rosario in Argentina, his door was chained shut, in what reports out of the country say was a persecution campaign against him.
Thankfully for the professor, an outpouring of support from non-governmental organizations, public, and international campaigns helped put serious pressure on the university to stop the persecution.
On November 14, the actions paid dividends as Verzeñassi was allowed to return, thanks to the university’s rector stepping in to override its own Dean, Richard Nidd.
Such actions to suppress dissent against Monsanto and GMOs are not new, in Argentina, where the GMO and chemical-intensive farming model has gained a serious foothold, even as multiple countries across Europe, Russia, and many others continue to ban GMOs. Even those who collect information are reportedly being persecuted.
Because of the widespread environmental problems and damage to human life (including birth defects) in Argentina, an organization called ‘Socieoenvironmental Health’ as well as another program called ‘Final Project’ have been studying the health situations of 27 villages and towns in Argentina.
Nidd, who was responsible for locking Verzeñassi out of his office, also reportedly denied access to teaching personnel to programs relating to these camps, and ordered the office where the camps are located to be shut with locks and chains, similar to what happened to Dr. Verzeñassi.
Thankfully in the case of the health camps, the activists were also able to make the difference — just as they did on August 24 when they finally forced Monsanto to tear down a massive unwanted GE seed plant after countless months of protesting.
Marchers in America and across the world, take note (and feel free to celebrate).
For more on this story, check out the full GMWatch article by clicking here.
