/* Written 12:03 am Jun 23, 1993 by elawmalaysia@igc.apc.org in
igc:biodiversity */
/* ---------- "call to stop human genome project" ---------- */
Subject: call to stop human genome project
URGENT! URGENT! URGENT!
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CALL FOR A CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE HUMAN GENOME DIVERSITY PROJECT
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Third World Network has received information from the Rural
Advancement Foundation International (RAFI) that U.S. scientists
have started a Human Genome Diversity Project to collect human
DNA samples from indigenous communities around the world.
The economic opportunity to collect and the push to
preserve--human genetic diversity has been fired by the
development of new biotechnologies and the formation of the Human
Genome Organisation (HUGO). Medical science has long been aware
that there is not just one human genetic map. Each ethnic
community may have a slightly different genetic composition.
Some of the differences and mutations could someday prove to be
invaluable to medicine.
The Human Genome Diversity Project estimates that an initial
five year sweep of relatively accessible populations will cost
between $35 million and will allow sampling from 10,000-15,000
human specimens. At an average total cost of (US) $23000 per
sample, the project will spend more money gathering the blood of
indigenous peoples than the per capita GNP of any of the world's
poorest 110 countries.
White blood cells from each persons will be preserved **in
vitro** at the American Type Culture Collections in Rockville,
Maryland (USA). The human tissue (scraped from the cheek) and
hair root sampling will be used in shorter-term studies. The
project's leaders, concerned that human blood can only survive 40
hours outside of storage, are planning their collections
carefully. "One person can bleed 50 people and get to the
airport in one day," they calculate.
Among those targeted for DNA sampling are the Yukaghir of
Siberia (about 100 people remaining in the group), the Dorasque
of Panama ( 50 remaining), the Amazon's Akuriyo (50 survivors).
Asian communities such as the Salsiat of Taiwan, Somalis in the
famineladen Horn of Africa, and the Deleware and Sarcee of North
America (each numbering around 600). Although the list is
incomplete, the current roster stands at about 722 indigenous
communities.
In the draft report of the Human Genome Diversity Project,
"preservation" is the dominant theme, and there is an assumption
that many or most of the human populations are inevitably going
to disappear. The project's emphasis on preservation and its
insensitivity to indigenous peoples is best exhibited by the term
they use to describe indigenous communities that have been
targeted for human DNA sampling: "Isolates of Historic
Interest" (IHIs).
In the year of indigenous people and at the time of UN
Conference on Human Rights we find such initiatives emerging from
the West totally unethical and a moral outrage. We call on all
groups and individuals concerned with indigenous peoples' rights
to mobilise public opinion against the case of human communities
as material for scientific experimentation and patenting.
Indigenous communities are not just "isolates of historical
interest". They have a right to be recognised as fully human
communities with full human rights which include decision about
how other countries will relate to them.
We are bringing up this issue at the UN Conference on Human
Rights which is currently taking place in Vienna, Austria. This
fundamental human right abuse of indigenous people by western
economic and scientific powers needs to be focussed on as much
as the human rights violation within the Third World.
Although the Project's formal campaign may not be launched
until late 1993 or 1994, collection work has already started.
Therefore we strongly urge you to join us to call for an
immediate halt to the Project.
o Write to President Bill Clinton to demand that the U.S.
Government withdraw its support for the Project. The White House
fax number is: Fax: (202)456-2710. Similiar demands should be
made of the U.S. National Institute of Health.
o Write to your respective governments, urging them to
officially protest against this gross violation of human rights.
o Join us in a worldwide signature campaign by sending your
support to: Third World Network, International Secretariat, 87
Cantonment Road, 10250 Penang, MALAYSIA. Fax: +604-368108; E-
mail:twn@igc.apc.org or cap@geo2.geomail.org.