WELLINGTON—Naked men and women lay on the lawn of New Zealand's Parliament Tuesday to protest government plans to lift a ban on genetically engineered plants and animals by month's end.
The 11 naked bodies and one fully clothed woman spelt out No GE against the green grass, watched by half a dozen security guards. Protest organizer Valerie Morse said the naked protest was a metaphor for New Zealand, which she said could be "stripped bare" by genetic engineering. "We've got some of the most unique flora and fauna in the world and if we release GE into the environment we just simply have no idea what the effects are going to be long term," she said.
One protester, who only wanted to be known as John, said "silly stunts" were necessary because the Labour-led government was ignoring the views of 3.5 million people who did not want genetic engineering released into the environment. New Zealand has a population of four million.
Labour has said it will end a two-year moratorium on releasing genetically altered plants and animals from laboratories for field trials when it expires Oct. 29, despite 69 per cent of poll respondents saying they wanted the ban extended.
Protesters Tuesday said the moratorium should remain for another five years.
The Green Party, with nine legislators in the 120-seat Parliament, has also demanded a five-year extension to the present ban.
Environment Minister Marian Hobbs said the government won't further delay lifting the ban nor impose stricter conditions.
There were no arrests, but Const. Dan O'Connell said protesters' names were taken in case police decide to take further action against the unauthorized protest.
Tuesday's action follows a protest in the public gallery of Parliament's debating chamber last month when nine members of Mothers Against Genetic Engineering took off their tops to reveal pink bras.
Anti-GE marches are scheduled in several cities next weekend.
source: http://canadaeast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031007/CPW/43348032&cachetime=15 7oct03
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