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A GE Free Flag Flies At The Heart Of New Zealand
Nelson Wednesday 31st January - Greenpeace today scaled a
monument at the geographical centre of New Zealand and flew
a GE free flag from its needle. On the same day GE free
Nelson presented a petition and map to the Mayor of Nelson
calling on him to declare the city and surrounding district
a GE free zone.
GE free Nelson has collected over
7600 signatures on a petition and marked on a map the
addresses of the petitioners with little green x’s. “The
picture is clear” said Suzy Lees of GE free Nelson,
”Thousands of citizens are saying no to GE and have made
their mark on this map. We know that the Mayor, Paul
Matheson, supports the people of Nelson in their intention
to declare that a GE free New Zealand starts here.
Yesterday at the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification
he stated on video that he felt Nelson would be the first
city to fly the GE free flag in 2001.”
“The world is
watching New Zealand right now to see whether it will live
up to its clean green image and go GE free. Genetically
engineered crops are an unpredictable form of living
pollution that nobody wants. That’s why there is a
world-wide movement of communities and countries declaring
themselves GE free zones. Now, thanks to the concerns of
thousands of Nelson citizens. there is a GE free flag
fluttering at the heart of New Zealand too,” said Jim
Thomas, an international GE campaigner for Greenpeace.
Greenpeace, who is working with GE free Nelson, has been
running public information stalls whilst their flagship the
Rainbow Warrior is undergoing repairs in Nelson dock.
For more information or pictures contact Jim Thomas in
Nelson 021 1465477 or Tamsin 025 790 817. For more
information about the petition and GE free Nelson contact
Suzi Lees on 025 232 1069 or 03 5467966
NOTES
1. The flag will be raised at 9am on the hill that marks the geographical centre of New Zealand, just east of the city of Nelson. Greenpeace will have stills photos available.
2. GE free zones already exist throughout
the world, including Rio Grande de Sol, in Brazil, Tuscany
and Lazio in Italy, Tasmania and Waiheke.
Greenpeace
Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice.
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.
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