Defendants Deponent : Melanie Jarman : 1st Sworn : March 1999 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE 1998-M-NO 1180 QUEENS BENCH DIVISION BETWEEN MONSANTO PLC Plaintiff -and- (1) ROWAN TILLY (2) JO HAMILTON (3) KATHRYN TULIP (4) MELANIE JARMAN (5) ZOE ELFORD (6) ANDREW WOOD (sued on their own behalf and on behalf of all the other members or representatives of "genetiX snowball", an unincorporated association) Defendants AFFIDAVIT OF MELANIE JARMAN I, MELANIE JARMAN, of 14 Rockdore Avenue, Hulme, Manchester, make oath and say as follows: I am the fourth Defendant. I make this affidavit from facts within my own knowledge except where otherwise stated. On 4th July I dug up approximately 50 genetically modified plants at Model Farm in Oxfordshire. I took this action because I believe that the application of genetic modification in food is wrong: at an economic level it will increase poverty and the inequality of resource control between the North and the South; and at an ecological level it is a process which works against the delicate natural balance which sustains life on earth. I took part in non-violent direct action to support these views because I believe that each and every one of us has a responsibility to resist processes which are not for the benefit of humanity. Over the last few years a range of articles, books and documentaries have given me a variety of information both for and against genetic engineering. My concern increases as my knowledge grows. For example, I describe in sections A 1.1.4 and A 1.1.5 of the genetix snowball handbook (exhibit at CLH11 to the Second Affidavit of Catherine Hooper) how one of the foremost claims for genetic modification, that it will feed the world's hungry, is fundamentally misleading. I also outline arguments against biotechnology companies' abuse of the patent system: this abuse is undermining the autonomy of Third World farmers whilst imposing monopoly control over some of the world's most important food crops. Monsanto plc, who claim to be the owners of the crop which I attempted to remove in Oxfordshire, are directly responsible for undermining traditional seed-saving, one of the key practices for sustainable, subsistence agriculture. Traditional farming practices involve farmers retaining seeds from the harvest of one year's crop for planting in the following year. However, with GM seed, farmers have to make substantial royalty payments to multinational companies if they keep seed for replanting, even if the crop happens to be native to their particular country. I have investigated Monsanto's previous record and discovered that undermining seed- saving is not the only example of Monsanto's disregard for people's well-being and sustainability of our ecosystem. Other examples include* 1995 - Monsanto ranked fifth among US corporations in the US's Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory, having discharged 37 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the air, land, water and underground.* 1997 - Monsanto had to recall 60, 000 bags of genetically modified rapeseed in Canada. The shipment was found to contain an inserted genes different from the one that had been approved for consumption by people and livestock. In * March 1998 - Monsanto agreed to pay a fine of $225, 000 for mislabelling containers of Roundup on 75 different occasions. This was the largest settlement ever paid for a violation of the US' s Worker Protection Standards of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act. I have questioned the motivations and past record of those involved in genetic modification of our food. My findings suggest an attitude which sees life merely as a commodity to be used and abused in the name of profit, both at the micro level of DNA and at the macro level of community survival . I wrote to my MP and MEP airing my concerns on genetic modification. I would like to be able to trust my parliamentary representatives to act in society's best interest but in the case of genetic modification I do not believe that this is possible - the UK's democratic process is wholly inadequate to deal with the ethical and social issues raised by genetic modification and to deal with the economic weight of the biotechnology companies and their influence at international levels on, for example, the World Trade Organisation. Monsanto themselves have stated that "in many cases we and others were writing the rules for this new science as we went along, particularly regarding applications in food and plants" (this needs a reference). The events of a fortnight in February of this year illustrate how biotechnology companies pay no heed to public opinion. Practically every national newspaper and radio station ran coverage illustrating concern over GM food; every opinion poll demonstrated opposition to GM food; the ban on GM food in catering outlets serving our elected representatives in the House of Commons remained unchallenged and this caution was echoed by the Local Government Association which advised schools, care homes and other public institutions to take GM food off the menu. Meanwhile, during this same period, a biosafety treaty being negotiated in Columbia to bind approximately 132 countries to ensure safe trade in genetically modified organisms was sabotaged by a powerful lobby group of biotechnology company representatives; a sabotage supported by the British delegation. Who is listening to concerns over genetic modification? Who is hearing the concerns of citizens both in the North and in the South? My questions are met with silence. Gandhi said that "Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth". I broke my own silence on genetic modification by going to a deliberate release site and removing plants. I fully accept responsibility for this and invite that I should be held to account for my behaviour. This non-violent action broke my inertia in the face of multinational might and a shadow-play of democracy. It allowed me an active role in decisions which directly affect my life and, as such, goes some way towards creating a genuinely participatory democracy. Sworn this day of March} 1999 at } } } before me ………………………