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I Listened to the Stories of Those Impacted by Monsanto’s Greed

I had the opportunity to attend the The Monsanto Tribunal in The Hague, the Netherlands. It was a chance to hear from some of the many victims of Monsanto and how that company has affected every level of our lives: from the food we put into our bodies and the issues associated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup, to the adverse impacts its corporate greed has on poverty and food security.

December 6, 2016 | Source: The Huffington Post | by Rachel Parent

I recently had the opportunity to attend the The Monsanto Tribunal in The Hague, the Netherlands. After receiving an invitation from Dr. Vandana Shiva a couple months beforehand, I can say that it was easily the most excited I've ever been. While some people might not get too excited by the thought of attending a tribunal to expose crimes against humanity and the environment, I was absolutely ecstatic.

It was a chance to hear from some of the many victims of Monsanto and how that company has affected every level of our lives: from the food we put into our bodies and the issues associated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup, to the adverse impacts its corporate greed has on poverty and food security.

The purpose of the tribunal was to hold Monsanto accountable in a setting that mirrored the procedures of an international court of justice. The charges were to include human rights violations, crimes against humanity and ecocide.  Over 750 people from more than 30 nations participated in the event, which included the associated People's Assembly, where I was honoured to have the opportunity to address those present.