1 12 1 https://www.abyayalanews.org/files/original/f9f5b820210e1dca86e7e2e2899bf9b9.pdf 36b9caa2be9ad85f5cf18bc8623a5ebf PDF Text Text 1993 YEAR OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES Stealing Indigenous Genes Genome Project Places Indigenous Peoples at Risk A band of molecular anthropologiSts are planning to collect samples from the hair roots. cheeks and blood of 722 "endangered" Indigenous peoples scattered throughout the globe to tmmortallze their genetic make-up and possibly tum a profit. AdraftreportfromthesecondHuman Genome diversity Workshop held at Penn State University on October 29-31, 1992 refers to Indigenous people as "Isolates of Htstol1c Interest (!Hrs), because they represent groups that should be sampled before they disappear as Integral units so that their role In human htstory can be preserved.· By recording gene codes the plan's partiCipants hope to find unique genes which can be used to cure diseases. which they wl1l patent and make millions. The plan ts being advanced by the Human Genome Diversity Project. an Informal consortium of universities In North Amertca and Europe backed by the u.s. National Institute of Health (NIH) as part of the Human Genome Organization (HUGO). HUGO ts the mult:Jnatlonal. multl-bJIIlon dollar lnltlative to map the human genetic structure. Part of the plants to leave a duplicate sample of the DNA of each Indigenous community with their national governments or regional inStitutions. Access to an IHrs complete genetic make-up makes It theoretically possible to devtse cheap and targeted biological weapons trained solely on that community. Human rtghts violations againSt Indigenous peoples, by their own governments and/ or other governments within their region, ts a major cause of their "physical exUnction·. Permaneotsamplesofhumangenetic material are invaluable to the Human Genome Project and to medical research. Under 10 U.S. law, any products or processes dertved from the unique collection wl1l be patentable. The commercial profit In Indigenous germplasm was brought home to pharmaceutical companies earlier thts year when th.l rty clti?.ens of Llmone, an ISolated ltaltan community. were dlsoovered to have a unique gene that codes againSt many forms ofcardlo· vascular disease. Swedish and Swiss phar· maceutical companies, as well as the Univers ity of Milan. have since swarmed over the townspeople, taking blood and other samples and applying for patents. If the gene can be turned Into a marketable drug the profits wl1l be tremendous. Will Indigenous peoples have a share In such profits? The members of the Human Genome Diversity Project estimate that an lnltlal five year sweep of relatively accessible populations wl1l cost between $23 million and $35 million and wl1l allow sampling from 10 ,000 to 15,000 human specimens. White blood cells from each person wl1l be "tmmortall?.ed" at the American Type Culture Collection 111 Rockv111e. Maryland. Human blood can only survive 48 hours outside ofstorage so samples collected wl1l have to be air-lifted Immediately. ·one person can bleed 50 people and get to the airport In one day," the report estimates. The Indigenous Peoples and Health Workshop held In Wlnnlpeg. Canada Aprtl 13·18, 1993, wh!ch wasorganl?.edbythe Pan American Health OrganiZation (see article page 11), passed a resolution crtticl?.Ing the Genome project. The resolution states: This Is yet another example of research being done on Indigenous people With· out their consent and Without all relevant Information being provided to them. The consequences of thts research have not been fully explored nationally, interAbya Yala News �1993 Y EAR OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES Pan American Health O rganization Conference on Indigenous Health The fust conference ever sponsored by the Pan American Health Organl7.atlon that focused exclusively on Indigenous peoples health ISSues was held from April 13 - 18 In Villa Marta. Wlnnlpeg Canada. Forty Indigenous delegates from South, Meso and North America as well as Canadian government and non-governmental representatives attended the Indigenous Peoples & Health Workshop '93 "In hopes of launching a dialogue on the health status of Indigenous peoples.· Presentations. seminars and dlseusslons addressed the gravity ofthe health crtsts In Native communities. covertng topiCS rangIng from the dearth of health services and faclllt!esln Native communities. to the slgnlficant role of traditional Indigenous medicine. to the ominous Human Genome Development Project. Poverty, oppression and lack of self-determination were seen to be the prtGenome continued nationally. or In consultation with Indigenous people. Thts type of research wlll have a negative Impact on future health programs and projects In Indigenous communities. by un dermining Indigenous peoples' trust In the medical and health professions. Source: Rural Advancement Founcia· ttcn International For more infonna~on contact SAIIC or: Rural Advancement Founda~on lnterna~onal 71 Bonk Street, Suite 504 Ottawa, Ontario K1 P 5N2 Conado Tel: 613-567-6880 Fax: 613-567-6884 Vol7 Num 1 & 2 mary culprits of the alarming health situation confronting Indigenous peoples. In light of the crtsts. a recommendation to declare a state of emergency In s peclflc communities and populations was p ut forth. Systematic community participation In definIng and Implementing health poUcles was regarded as crucial for achieving positive results. The necessity of pursuing ongotng efforts to defend Indigenous lands. Improve nutrition and housing. prevent environmen tal pollution, and legalize Indigenous m edicine and practices was diScussed at length. As a result of thJs conference. a com mtssJon of Indigenous delegates. working In conjunction with PAHO to promote Indigenous health Issues on local. national and International levels ts being established. In addition. an Int ernational task force dedicated to ensurtng that Indigenous health tssues find a place on the agendas of any meetingS pertaining to Native peoplests planned . as well as an Information network to educate and update Native com- Deleg(JleS to the PAHO confertnce from left to right: Rosa munities on rel- Baldiz6n, Maya (Gu(Jlemola): Rosa .Garcfa. Purepecha evant ISSues and (Mbcico): Carmen Pereira. Mojeiia (Bolivia); Yoltvula n ew developments Nahuelcheo, Mapuche (Chile): and Gilberta 8(Jlz, Maya ' concerning health. (Guatemala) 11 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vol. 7, nos. 1 & 2, (Winter/Spring 1993) Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Stealing Indigenous Genes: Genome Project Places Indigenous Peoples at Risk Type The nature or genre of the resource Journal Article Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Winter/Spring 1993 Language A language of the resource English English Zotero Title Stealing Indigenous Genes: Genome Project Places Indigenous Peoples at Risk Item Type Journal Article Volume 7 Issue 1&2 Pages 10-11 Publication Title Abya Yala News ISSN 1071-3182 Date Winter/Spring 1993 Language English Abstract Note The controversial topic of researching and "immortalizing" the genetic code of humans is discussed. The Indigenous Peoples and Health Workshop in Winnepeg, Canada criticized the Genome Project on grounds of exploiting Indigenous people. Attachment Title Stealing Indigenous Genes-Genome Project Places Indigenous Peoples at Risk.pdf Attachment URL [No URL] Human Genome Diversity Project NIH Pan American Health Organization The Indigneous Peoples and Health Workshop Winnepeg Canada