The Indigenous Coalition Against Biopiracy in the Andes 18 March 2006

Document begins: The Indigenous Coalition Against Biopiracy in the Andes 18 March 2006 Mr. Michael Pragnell, CEO, Syngenta c/o Rainer von Mielecki, Head of Communication and Public Affairs Syngenta International Schwarzwaldallee 215 CH- 4002 Basel Tel: +41 61 323 57 66 Fax: +41 61 323 53 31 rainer.von mielecki@syngenta.com RE: Syngenta's patent on technology to prohibit sprouting of vegetative storage organs (potatoes) Dear Mr. Pragnell: We, the Indigenous Coalition Against Biopiracy in the Andes, are writing on behalf of Quechua and Aymara peoples of the Peruvian Andes regarding Syngenta's patent on a Terminator-type technology for potatoes. The Indigenous Coalition Against Biopiracy in the Andes is an alliance of representatives from indigenous communities in Peru. On the 18th of March members of the Indigenous Coalition Against Biopiracy in the Southern Andes met near Pisac, Peru, to discuss Syngenta's patent on a method to control sprouting in vegetative storage organs like potato. The participants to this meeting expressed unanimous concern about the potential cultural and socioeconomic impacts on indigenous communities in the Andes of US patent number 6,700,039, entitled "Genetic method for controlling sprouting," which was granted to Syngenta in March 2004. We understand that your company has previously pledged not to ...