Slashdot Mirror
Starving Nation Turns Down Bioengineered Corn
The Washington Post has a story about Zimbabwe turning down shipments of genetically engineered corn, even though the country is experiencing a severe drought and starvation. Zimbabwe is afraid some of the corn will end up planted instead of eaten -- and growing patented corn is a no-no, of course! If the corn is planted even once, it may contaminate all future crops grown in those fields or any fields nearby, leading to huge lawsuits - and then the fields are contaminated, exacerbating the food shortage. So, starve or be bankrupted, and Zimbabwe appears to be choosing, "starve". Tons of ethical issues here, which have hardly been touched upon in the U.S. press.
"This just in... citizens of Zimbabwe have eaten their own limbs in an attempt to save themselves from the ever dooming bankruptsy"
...the more likely reason the grain was refused is that the Zimbabwe government is currently on a militaristic campaign to take land away from white farmers and give it to black ones as part of a Land Acquisition Act. President Mugabe can use the starvation of his own people to further cast blame on the white farmers and rally more support for the governments policies. Pretty good K5 article on the whole situation here.
Please note, also, that I'm not trying to make commentary on whether land distribution in Zimbabwe is right or not, only on the methods used by the government to achieve that end.
Tons of ethical issues here, which have hardly been touched upon in the U.S. press.
One of which is the fact that Zimbabwe actually does have the right to turn down these shipments.
Screw you all! I'm off to the pub
I'm also sick of people criticizing america when it doesn't bail someone out, and then critcizing america again when we _do_ bail someone out.
Amen.