Seedling - October 2007

October 2007

Editor's notes on what's in this issue, plus download the whole of the Seedling issue in PDF format.

Editor's notes on what's in this issue, plus download the whole of the Seedling issue in PDF format.

What's wrong with rights?

GRAIN invited a group of people around the world to reflect on their concepts of rights and how they affect people’s lives and welfare. This issue editorial.

GRAIN invited a group of people around the world to reflect on their concepts of rights and how they affect people’s lives and welfare. This issue editorial.

C.R. Bijoy

C.R. Bijoy is an independent researcher and activist in India who is primarily involved with indigenous peoples’ struggles, such as the Campaign for Survival and Dignity, a coalition of mass organisations that emerged to counter the nationwide repression unleashed on forests and forest peoples in 2002.

C.R. Bijoy is an independent researcher and activist in India who is primarily involved with indigenous peoples’ struggles, such as the Campaign for Survival and Dignity, a coalition of mass organisations that emerged to counter the nationwide repression unleashed on forests and forest peoples in 2002.

Evangelina Robles

Evangelina Robles is a lawyer who has represented the Wirarika people of Mexico in hundreds of litigations to recover their territory. She is in a collective that supports efforts by indigenous peoples to retain control over their territories and ways of life.

Evangelina Robles is a lawyer who has represented the Wirarika people of Mexico in hundreds of litigations to recover their territory. She is in a collective that supports efforts by indigenous peoples to retain control over their territories and ways of life.

Edmond Ouinsou

Edmond Ouinsou works for ANASAD (Afrique Nature pour la Santé et le Développment/African Nature for Health and Development), a non-governmental organisation in Benin.

Edmond Ouinsou works for ANASAD (Afrique Nature pour la Santé et le Développment/African Nature for Health and Development), a non-governmental organisation in Benin.

Louis Tovioujdi

Louis Tovioujdi is a traditional healer from the district of Avrankou in south-east Benin, near the border with Nigeria.

Louis Tovioujdi is a traditional healer from the district of Avrankou in south-east Benin, near the border with Nigeria.

Houédassi Kounagbodé, Tétédé Ogoutolé and Jeanne Houeto

Houédassi Kounagbodé, Tétédé Ogoutolé and Jeanne Houeto are women peasant farmers from the Ahouanzanhouê Djromahouton Association in the village of Ouanho, Benin.

Houédassi Kounagbodé, Tétédé Ogoutolé and Jeanne Houeto are women peasant farmers from the Ahouanzanhouê Djromahouton Association in the village of Ouanho, Benin.

Dodou Koudafokè / Hounguè Koudafokè

Dodou Koudafokè belongs to an association that brings together traditional healers from four villages (Ouanho, Tchakla, Gbakpo and Hèhoun) in the district of Avrankou in south-east Benin. / Hounguè Koudafokè is the brother of Dodou Koudafokè. He is also a traditional healer and lives in the village of Ouanho, Benin.

Dodou Koudafokè belongs to an association that brings together traditional healers from four villages (Ouanho, Tchakla, Gbakpo and Hèhoun) in the district of Avrankou in south-east Benin. / Hounguè Koudafokè is the brother of Dodou Koudafokè. He is also a traditional healer and lives in the village of Ouanho, Benin.

Nestor Mahinou

Nestor Mahinou is the executive secretary of Synergie Paysanne (Peasant Synergy), a peasant farmers’ trade union in Benin.

Nestor Mahinou is the executive secretary of Synergie Paysanne (Peasant Synergy), a peasant farmers’ trade union in Benin.

Farhad Mazhar

Farhad Mazhar is a leading member of Bangladesh’s Nayakrishi Andolon (New Agricultural Movement), which practises and promotes biodiversity-based ecological agriculture.

Farhad Mazhar is a leading member of Bangladesh’s Nayakrishi Andolon (New Agricultural Movement), which practises and promotes biodiversity-based ecological agriculture.

Terry Boehm

Terry Boehm is a farmer in western Canada. He is the vice-president of the National Farmers Union of Canada. He has worked for many years on issues concerning seeds and intellectual property, as well as transport, orderly marketing and supply management.

Terry Boehm is a farmer in western Canada. He is the vice-president of the National Farmers Union of Canada. He has worked for many years on issues concerning seeds and intellectual property, as well as transport, orderly marketing and supply management.

Radha D'Souza

Radha D’Souza teaches law at the University of Westminster, UK. She is a social justice activist from India, where she worked in labour movements and democratic rights movements, first as organiser and later as activist lawyer. Radha is a writer, critic and commentator, and has worked with solidarity movements in the Asia–Pacific region.

Radha D’Souza teaches law at the University of Westminster, UK. She is a social justice activist from India, where she worked in labour movements and democratic rights movements, first as organiser and later as activist lawyer. Radha is a writer, critic and commentator, and has worked with solidarity movements in the Asia–Pacific region.

Maria Fernanda Vallejo

Maria Fernanda Vallejo is on the Board of GRAIN. She is an anthropologist who has been working for more than ten years with peasants’ and indigenous peoples’ organisations in the Sierra Central in Ecuador.

Maria Fernanda Vallejo is on the Board of GRAIN. She is an anthropologist who has been working for more than ten years with peasants’ and indigenous peoples’ organisations in the Sierra Central in Ecuador.

Prem Dangal

Prem Dangal is secretary-general of the All Nepal Peasants Federation, an umbrella group of different 25 farmers’ organisations. It has about one million members all over the country. It campaigns on issues of food sovereignty, agrarian reform, peasants’ rights and sustainable agricultural development.

Prem Dangal is secretary-general of the All Nepal Peasants Federation, an umbrella group of different 25 farmers’ organisations. It has about one million members all over the country. It campaigns on issues of food sovereignty, agrarian reform, peasants’ rights and sustainable agricultural development.

Clark Peteru

Clark Peteru, from Samoa, is an environmental legal adviser at the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).

Clark Peteru, from Samoa, is an environmental legal adviser at the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).