13 October 2008

Throughout the world, WWF promotes a series of meetings between shrimp farmers, import companies, and NGOs, called “Shrimp Dialogues,” attempting to establish global standards for the certification of the shrimp aquaculture industry. One of the meetings already took place in Belize, 1-2 April of this year, without the participation of the Central American victims of the shrimp farming industry.

The second shrimp dialogue organized by WWF was held in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, during the international Aqua 2008 fair, 8-9 November. Redmanglar Internacional (RMI) was represented at the meeting by its Executive Secretary, Juan José López Negrete, and an ample delegation of those affected by shrimp farming, grouped together in C-CONDEM, among them representatives of the RMI Directing Council – Líder Góngora Farías and Tomás Cruz.

Throughout the day the RMI delegation staged a pacific boycott of the meeting before an auditorium of shrimp farmers, NGOs, and importers, noting at all times the illegitimate character of the so-called shrimp dialogues. At the end of the afternoon they were able to get WWF, organizer of the event, to cede 30 minutes for RMI to expound on its reasons for boycotting the event. The RMI Executive Secretary, Juan José López Negrete, and the representative of the RMI Directing Council, Líder Góngora Farías, expressed in a far-ranging and sustained manner the reasons why RMI categorically opposes any process that permits the certification of the shrimp farming industry in Latin America, as well as the rest of the planet.

Those attending the event, among them Cesar Monge, President of the Aquaculture Chamber of Ecuador; delegates of WWF; Naturland, David Suzuki Foundation, among others, listened to the forceful arguments presented by the RMI representatives against the intent of WWF to certify the shrimp farming industry.

The RMI representatives proposed that instead of a shrimp dialogue to certify the shrimp farm industry that they should create an international tribunal to investigate and punish all of the crimes against humanity committed by such industry. In addition, they declared that RMI would denounce WWF internationally if it continues with the intention of favoring certification of a criminal and merciless industry, such is shrimp farming.

Upon completion of the RMI representatives' arguments, many of the delegates of NGOs and shrimp importers present at the meeting showed their interest in RMI providing more details about the crimes committed by the shrimp farming industry.

For more information:

Secretaría de la Redmanglar Internacional: a cargo de ASPROCIG Nit: 800222045-6
Tel. ++ (57) (4) 7731898
Fax  ++ (57) (4) 7736368
Carrera 21 # 17-23 Barrio Kennedy- Lorica Córdoba
Colombia

Translated from the Spanish by Elaine Corets.

Source:  Redmanglar Internacional