Press Release
Released by: Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism
Contact: Debra Harry
Tel: (775) 338-5983
Indigenous Peoples Oppose the National Geographic Society's New Vampire
Project
(New York) Indigenous peoples gathered in New York City are voicing their
opposition to a global genetic research project that proposes to collect
100,000 DNA samples from Indigenous peoples worldwide. The National
Geographic Society and the IBM Corporation launched the ©¯Genographic
Project©— 13 months ago with a goal of mapping ancient migratory patterns
using genetic information. The project is largely funded by the Waitt
Family Foundation of Gateway Computer fortune. The taking of samples will
be coordinated by ten worldwide regional research centers. With centers in
Australia, Brazil, North America and Southeast Asia, Sub-Sahara and South
Africa, this project is certain to affect many Indigenous peoples around
the world.
On May 20, 2006 several Indigenous leaders will meet with the Genographic
Project to voice their concerns to the project©–s core staff, including
lead researcher, Dr. Spencer Wells, and top National Geographic officials.
Some participants in the upcoming meeting hosted by Cultural Survival plan
to deliver a petition signed by over 850 calling for an end to the Project
and a boycott of all programs, products and services of the National
Geographic Society, IBM, and Gateway Computers.
©¯The fundamental ethical question is whether the benefits to research
subjects will outweigh the risks. The answer is an absolute ‘no©– ©—, says
Nilo Cayuqueo, (Mapuche) of Abya Yala Nexus. He further notes, ©¯this
research poses real political risks that can be used to undermine the
rights of Indigenous peoples.©— The Genographic Project itself warns of a
risk to Indigenous peoples that ©¯it is possible that some of the findings
that result from this study may contradict an oral, written or other
tradition held by you or by members of your group.©— Le`a Kanehe (Native
Hawaiian), an attorney of the Indigenous Peoples Council on
Biocolonialism, warns that, ©¯it is a real risk that the Project will
discredit Indigenous peoples©– own traditional knowledge about our own
origins and could be used by unfriendly governments to deny our human
rights as the original inhabitants of our territories.©—
Marcos Terena (Terena) Chairman of the Inter-Tribal Committee in Brazil
said ©¯Indigenous peoples in Brazil have been exploited by this kind of
research in the past. We refuse to be exploited again.©—
Noting the project©–s goal to map the migratory history of humankind
through DNA, Art Manual, (Shushwap Nation) and director of the Indigenous
Network on Economy and Trade in British Columbia, Canada, says, ©¯We don©–t
need genetic testing to tell us who we are or where we come from. Our
creation stories and languages inform us of our genealogy and ancestors.©—
Referring to the Genographic Project©–s plans to undertake genetic analysis
on the remains of Indigenous peoples©– ancestors, Stan Williams
(Anishinabe) of the Knowledgeable Aboriginal Youth Association in
Vancouver BC notes that, ©¯the ancestors are sacred and we cannot allow any
acts of desecration on their bodies.©—
Many Indigenous peoples see no significant difference between the
Genographic Project and a predecessor project, the Human Genome Diversity
Project, which was defeated many years ago. In the 1990s, the HGDP faced
international opposition by Indigenous peoples who considered the project
an unconscionable attempt by genetic researchers to pirate their DNA for
their own purposes. Although Dr. Wells has denied any strong connection
between the HGDP and his new effort, Luca Cavalli-Sforza, the founder of
the HGDP serves as chairperson of the Genographic©–s advisory committee.
Recently, Cavalli-Sforza stated that the Genographic Project is almost the
same as the HGDP. Indigenous peoples built a global movement opposing the
HGDP and the patenting of Indigenous peoples genes.
©¯The only difference between the two vampire projects is that the
Genographic Project has much larger goals, seeking to obtain more blood
and making a global database of information available to future
scientists, including our oral histories,©— says Debra Harry, Executive
Director of the Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism, which has
led Indigenous peoples opposition to the Project.
Harry says, ©¯We do not believe that this Project is providing adequate
information to Indigenous peoples regarding its purposes and the potential
risks they may face if they participate. That means it will exploit
vulnerable peoples for its own benefit. We want this project stopped.©—
Because Wells©– research team has started taking DNA samples without any
advance notice to the public, Indigenous peoples will be asking the
Genographic Project©–s commitment to full transparency, including by
identifying the targeted Indigenous peoples for research and to fund
international regional informational briefings for such peoples.©—
For more information see www.ipcb.org<http://www.ipcb.org
-----------------------------------------
Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism
PO Box 72
Nixon, NV 89424
Tel: (775) 574-0248 Fax: (775) 574-0345
http://www.ipcb.org
Released by: Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism
Contact: Debra Harry
Tel: (775) 338-5983
Indigenous Peoples Oppose the National Geographic Society's New Vampire
Project
(New York) Indigenous peoples gathered in New York City are voicing their
opposition to a global genetic research project that proposes to collect
100,000 DNA samples from Indigenous peoples worldwide. The National
Geographic Society and the IBM Corporation launched the ©¯Genographic
Project©— 13 months ago with a goal of mapping ancient migratory patterns
using genetic information. The project is largely funded by the Waitt
Family Foundation of Gateway Computer fortune. The taking of samples will
be coordinated by ten worldwide regional research centers. With centers in
Australia, Brazil, North America and Southeast Asia, Sub-Sahara and South
Africa, this project is certain to affect many Indigenous peoples around
the world.
On May 20, 2006 several Indigenous leaders will meet with the Genographic
Project to voice their concerns to the project©–s core staff, including
lead researcher, Dr. Spencer Wells, and top National Geographic officials.
Some participants in the upcoming meeting hosted by Cultural Survival plan
to deliver a petition signed by over 850 calling for an end to the Project
and a boycott of all programs, products and services of the National
Geographic Society, IBM, and Gateway Computers.
©¯The fundamental ethical question is whether the benefits to research
subjects will outweigh the risks. The answer is an absolute ‘no©– ©—, says
Nilo Cayuqueo, (Mapuche) of Abya Yala Nexus. He further notes, ©¯this
research poses real political risks that can be used to undermine the
rights of Indigenous peoples.©— The Genographic Project itself warns of a
risk to Indigenous peoples that ©¯it is possible that some of the findings
that result from this study may contradict an oral, written or other
tradition held by you or by members of your group.©— Le`a Kanehe (Native
Hawaiian), an attorney of the Indigenous Peoples Council on
Biocolonialism, warns that, ©¯it is a real risk that the Project will
discredit Indigenous peoples©– own traditional knowledge about our own
origins and could be used by unfriendly governments to deny our human
rights as the original inhabitants of our territories.©—
Marcos Terena (Terena) Chairman of the Inter-Tribal Committee in Brazil
said ©¯Indigenous peoples in Brazil have been exploited by this kind of
research in the past. We refuse to be exploited again.©—
Noting the project©–s goal to map the migratory history of humankind
through DNA, Art Manual, (Shushwap Nation) and director of the Indigenous
Network on Economy and Trade in British Columbia, Canada, says, ©¯We don©–t
need genetic testing to tell us who we are or where we come from. Our
creation stories and languages inform us of our genealogy and ancestors.©—
Referring to the Genographic Project©–s plans to undertake genetic analysis
on the remains of Indigenous peoples©– ancestors, Stan Williams
(Anishinabe) of the Knowledgeable Aboriginal Youth Association in
Vancouver BC notes that, ©¯the ancestors are sacred and we cannot allow any
acts of desecration on their bodies.©—
Many Indigenous peoples see no significant difference between the
Genographic Project and a predecessor project, the Human Genome Diversity
Project, which was defeated many years ago. In the 1990s, the HGDP faced
international opposition by Indigenous peoples who considered the project
an unconscionable attempt by genetic researchers to pirate their DNA for
their own purposes. Although Dr. Wells has denied any strong connection
between the HGDP and his new effort, Luca Cavalli-Sforza, the founder of
the HGDP serves as chairperson of the Genographic©–s advisory committee.
Recently, Cavalli-Sforza stated that the Genographic Project is almost the
same as the HGDP. Indigenous peoples built a global movement opposing the
HGDP and the patenting of Indigenous peoples genes.
©¯The only difference between the two vampire projects is that the
Genographic Project has much larger goals, seeking to obtain more blood
and making a global database of information available to future
scientists, including our oral histories,©— says Debra Harry, Executive
Director of the Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism, which has
led Indigenous peoples opposition to the Project.
Harry says, ©¯We do not believe that this Project is providing adequate
information to Indigenous peoples regarding its purposes and the potential
risks they may face if they participate. That means it will exploit
vulnerable peoples for its own benefit. We want this project stopped.©—
Because Wells©– research team has started taking DNA samples without any
advance notice to the public, Indigenous peoples will be asking the
Genographic Project©–s commitment to full transparency, including by
identifying the targeted Indigenous peoples for research and to fund
international regional informational briefings for such peoples.©—
For more information see www.ipcb.org<http://www.ipcb.org
-----------------------------------------
Indigenous Peoples Council on Biocolonialism
PO Box 72
Nixon, NV 89424
Tel: (775) 574-0248 Fax: (775) 574-0345
http://www.ipcb.org
