KENYANS OBJECT TO FUNGAL CONTROL OF NARCOTICS, CANNABIS

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 25, 2000 (ENS) - In the latest effort to eradicate
illegal drugs, American scientists are experimenting on genetically
modified strains of fungi that will identify and destroy opium poppy
plants, coca plants and cannabis.

A representative of the environmental group, The Sunshine, told delegates
to the fifth meeting of signatories to the Convention on Biological
Diversity in Nairobi in May that the United States Department of
Agriculture, and the American Department of Defence are jointly working on
research they call "Operation End Smoke."

Operation End Smoke's goal is to eradicate illegal drug plantations around
the world.

The fungi, Fusarium oxysporum, could target millions of hectares of
narcotic crops in South America, Central Asia and Africa.

Last week, ENS reported that the United Nations and the Colombian
government are discussing potential cooperation to test mycoherbicides,
fungal biological control agents that could be used to control coca
cultivation. The United States, where the majority of Colombia's illegal
crop is sold, has allocated $3 million to the UN to help fund these tests.
Environmentalists in Kenya are concerned that once highly infectious fungi
are released, they may mutate and spread. Professor Wangari Maathai, the
coordinator of the Green Belt Movement, says that Kenya should oppose such
use of viruses and fungi because of their potentially profound effects on
the environment.

"Use of Fusarium fungi or any other laboratory multiplied virus should be
opposed because of the potential harm they pose to biodiversity," said
Maathai. "The use of these microbes is misguided. America's intentions are
suspect. If it were genuine in the war against drugs, it would use all safe
avenues available."

Dr. Agatha Janet of International Science For Life agrees. "Fusarium may
curtail the production of narcotics but the danger they pose to the
biodiversity and livelihood of people who grow pharmaceutical plants of
narcotic species surpasses the goodwill intended," she said.

"Related species of plants might be attacked by the Fusarium fungi because
there isn't any guarantee for crop target specification."

Fearing a backlash, the U.S. wants to broaden participation in the project.
"We urge the United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP) to solicit funds
from other governments in order to avoid the perception that this is solely
a United States government initiative," said U.S. Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright in a cable message sent to UNDCP.

Some countries have already passed legislation banning the use of
biological agents in the elimination of narcotic crops.

Peru passed a law prohibiting the use of biological agents in coca
eradication. Bolivia and Thailand have banned the use of Fusarium fungi or
related biological micro-organisms in the elimination of illegal crops.

"The government of the U.S. is playing roulette with irreplaceable
biological biodiversity," said Susana Pimiento, a Colombian lawyer with The
Sunshine. "In Colombia where Fusarium fungi are to be used, four close
relatives of coca are classified as endangered. This might be the last step
to their extinction," said Pimiento.

Ecologists and environmentalists at the Convention on Biological Diversity
negotiations in May were concerned that some strains of Fusarium oxysporum
can infect even distantly related plants and destabilize the ecosystem of
living species, such as the prized butterfly Agrius, which depends on the
coca's leaves for maturity and feeding.

"Birds feeding on narcotic crops are endangered. If they consume these
plants after Fusarium fungi have been released into the field, available
data shows that they produce mycotoxins that are deadly," says Edwin Meme,
a Kenyan toxicologist.

If the Kenyan government uses Fusarium fungi to fight narcotics, especially
bhang, otherwise known as cannabis, this could set back conservation of the
ecosystem around Mount Kenya. Mount Kenya is a vital water catchment area,
already reeling from the effects of deforestation to accommodate a huge
acreage of bhang.

Last year the government embarked on the large scale destruction of bhang
plantations in Mount Kenya forest. Unable to curtail farming of the drugs,
aerial spray was suggested as an alternative but abandoned after protests
by environmentalists.

Under the Cartagena Protocol, no country can release modified living
organisms into the biodiversity of another country unless the recipient
country is sure of the safety of the organisms being released, and adheres
to the provision of environmental safety and clearing mechanisms.

"If the United States releases these fungi without consulting any country,
and finally the whole project turns disastrous to the biodiversity, who
will be accountable since America is not a member to the Cartagena
Protocol?" asked a delegate from Canada.

A declassified report released by the U.S. government to allay fears that
it is cloning virulent genes to combat narcotics says: "The U.S. government
is not researching genetically engineered, but genetically modified
strains, which are still being researched on. They are not yet released or
about to be released to the field."

In 1988, the United Nations Economic and Social Council stated that drug
eradication programs should exhaust manual, mechanical or chemical
herbicides for controlling weeds, but not biological agents.

The U.S. government insists that the fungi being experimented on are for
the global benefit since governments of the countries where narcotics are
grown will shift scarce resources currently used to fight illegal plants to
needy national projects.

Biological control agents being considered for use on Columbia's coca crop
will not proceed without the full cooperation and approval of the Colombian
government.

"Although initial excuses are that the fungi are not currently earmarked
for application in Africa, this is not true. For the plan to eradicate
narcotics to be successful, it must have universal application. Otherwise,
there is no sense in application in some countries while others continue to
grow them," said Jefferson Henry, a crop researcher.