The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) staged a picket rally infront of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to denounce the 45 years that the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), have been a pest to Filipino farmers. According to Ka Willy Marbella, spokesperson of KMP, “For 45 years, the IRRI have been a burden to peasants in our country, it has stolen more than 4,800 traditional rice varieties from our peasant folk and is now making hybrid rice that would compete with the traditional varieties,”

“IRRI now has the sole right on the use of these traditional varieties because it has claimed these as its own, and it says it has the right to file charges against any farmer who would use IRRI patented varieties,” added the peasant leader.

“The only remaining varieties left to farmers can almost be counted on one’s fingers like, Elon-elon, Malamba, Palawanan, Binernal, Black rice and Azucena. IRRI is basically usurping all our rice resources and leaving Filipino farmers with hybrid varieties that consume large amounts of fertilizers and pesticides,” added Marbella.

As for his part Dr. Giovanni Tapang, RESIST convenor, “but we will not allow this to further continue, with the help of Masipag, a non-government organization which has a traditional rice variety preservation program as well as a sustainable agricultural framework, we have regained 800 plus of our traditional rice varieties. Now our struggle to oust IRRI from Philippine soil continues. It should return the more than 220 hectare land that it has stolen from Laguna farmers. It should also pay for the death and diseases that it caused the families in the area,”

“The IRRI is more like a military base rather than a research institute, the laws of our country does not apply inside the compound, so untold repression happen to the workers and farm workers in the area. The institute is also immune from criminal liabilities even if its products, pesticides and practices caused that death of 7 farmers who formerly worked in the institute due to exposure to hazardous materials,” ended Tapang. # # #
 

KMP - 4 April 2005