THE FUMIGATION OF THE AMAZON.
One of the gravest ecological problems faced in the Amazon plains
and in the foothills of the Andes and in other areas of Colombia is the programn
being carried out by the Colombian and United States governments to erradicate
the Coca bush, under the name "plan Colombia".
COCA, (Erythroxilum coca) is
a bush of amazonian origin whose habitat is the hot and humid valleys that lie
between 1.000 and 2.000 metres above sea level. It is commonly called "Yungas"
in the Aymara language. It has been traditionally considered to be a sacred
plant of great nutritious and curative value. Coca is part of an ancient millennial
knowledge still practiced by a few ethnic groups in the face of a hard battle
to defend it from fumigations and forced eradication by biological methods,
and to generate the recognition that it should have. For this reason, they use
the coca leaf to produce tea, medicinal extracts and for curative and shamanic
practices. The use of coca leaf to 'mambear', or chew dates back thousands of
years and is universally recognised.
Generally, coca leaf is not recognised in its natural form. Cocaine, a chemical
derivative, has been used on the basis of its analgesic (pain-killing) properties.
It is extracted from the plant through a long process that extracts the alcaloid
of the leaf, turning it into a stupifying narcotic. The process consists in
changing the coca leaf into paste, to cocaine base and finally into cocaine
hydrochlorate (this is done with the help of various chemicals, acids and even
petrol). The result is a highly toxic component for the organism that causes
alterations in the nervous system, the cardiovascular and respiratory systems,
as well as stimulating the central nervous system, producing dependencies, and
mental and physical disturbance.
The demand for cocaine in countries such as the USA and Europe is such that, in the face of market conditions that don't favour the production and sale of other products such as sugar, coffee, bannanas. cocoa and so on, many peasants in South America turn to coca or opium poppy as a secure cash crop that produces consistant returns. Coca is a sturdy bush that grows so well that it can be harvested four or more times every year. It is ideally suited to the climate and conditions of the marginal areas such as occur in Colombia. The peasants grow coca simply because they don't have other ways to make a living. Coca is the backbone of their economy.
Although the U.S. states that it is only using the chemical glysophate for aerial fumigation in Colombia, there are many reports by NGO's that there are other chemicals being used to intensify the effect of glysophate as a defoliant. Lucia Gallardo, an activist from Accion Ecologica, reported that glysophate is mixed with POEA and Cosmo Flux 411f. Cosmo Flux 411f increases the biological action of glysophate by 4 times while POEA is 5 times more toxic than glysophate. This concoction is 100 times more toxic than what is recommended for agricultural use in the USA.
Above pictures show damage to crops and family farms caused by fumigations.
The Effects of Fumigation on the People and Ecology of Colombia
All accounts of peasants, union workers and anyone who has had first hand experience of the effects of fumigation (aerial spraying of illicit crops), report that it is causing great harm and damage to the people and ecology of Colombia. According to "Witness for peace" which is a US based NGO, peasants complain of feeling "extremely sick after spray planes had passed overhead, with symptoms including vomiting, nausea, headaches, diarrhoea, skin rashes and even hair-loss". Another report (by Quichuan Indians filling a lawsuit against DynCorp) says that "One hundred per cent of the inhabitants of the region within five kilometres of the Colombian border where fumigations occurred suffer from... serious irritations to the eyes, skin problems including abscesses, acute respiratory illnesses, and digestive problems with vomiting and diarrhoea" and that "there were four deaths of children... when the fumigations began" and "in addition, two children born from mothers exposed to the fumigations, show congenital malformations". This report also states "Deaths of animals including cows, pigs, horses, chickens, cats, dogs, as well as mountain animals, were reported. Crops destroyed by the fumigations include coffee, yucca, rice, and hay. The loss of crops and animals has forced many inhabitants of the area to abandon their homes and flee the area. Local Indian Shamans report that they can no longer use their medicinal herbs due to the contamination of these herbs with the fumigants." "Three months after the fumigations had stopped the number of individuals with dermatological problems remained high".
The Use of a Biological Fungus and New Chemicals
Even more concerning is the possible use of a Fusarium Oxysporum
fungus in fumigation. This "biological control agent" is a kind of
genetically engineered micoherbicide that the U.S. wants to begin spraying in
Colombia. Many environmental NGO's have shown great concerns at the danger that
the fungus poses to the environment. It is said to be extremely destructive
and could stay in the soil for up to 40 years, as well being able to mutate.
Tests of the Fusarium Oxisporum fungus were initiated in Florida but were abandoned
after "grave" concerns about their effects. Despite evidence from
environmental groups of the potential devastation that could be caused, as well
as protesting from local people, the fungus is now being tested in the Amazon
jungle of Ecuador.
Unless the issues that lead to coca being grown are addressed properly and guarantees are given to the peasant farmers that will help them gain their daily bread by other means this problem will continue. Literally, once an area is sprayed the people move deeper into the jungle and plant more coca, which in turn may be fumigated and so the vicious cycle continues and all the while that which sufferes most is the jungle, the plants, the animals AND the people that live in those areas.
There is a real need to investigate these jungle areas in order to establish a more sustainable form of agriculture that enables the people to have more self sufficiency and also to develop and find markets for the many valuable medicinal plants and fruits that grow so well in these zones. Such developments, we believe, should be founded in the Indigenous systems of eco-management (described in the article "Indigenous Rainforest Management")
Meanwhile it serves for nothing that the USA is so keen to spray poisons on these areas of outstanding beauty and incalcuable value to the planet and all its inhabitants.
We should think well if we are intelligent humans because nothing that we do on this earth is so far away that it cannot effect all of us and the indiscrimintae poisoning of large swathes of jungle will destroy the green heritage of all of us.
No plant can be considered bad or evil... it is our use of it that is the problem. Such is the case with coca, a plant with tremendous potential benefits for all peoples.