DonnAllan G Titus 09/03/2002 08:18:53 AM From DB/Inbox: DonnAllan G Titus

Cable Text:

UNCLASSIFIED

TELEGRAM August 30, 2002

Action: WHA

TAGS: SNAR, KPAO, EC

Subject: NGO Claims Aerial Eradication Campaign Harms Ecuadorians

Ref: None

1. Summary: Ecuadorian NGO Accion Ecologica (AE) made a presentation August 29 for American Embassy Quito officers purporting to demonstrate that the aerial eradication campaign in Colombia has harmed the health of Ecuadoriane living along the Colombian border. EmbOffs conceded that the AS material did seen to indicate that Ecuadorians in this zone suffer a variety of health problems, but that the study did not provide much in the way of proof about what might be causing those problems. End summary.

2. The Accion Ecologica drive-by briefing consisted of a PowerPoint presentation made on a spiffy Macintosh iBook with an expensive Sony projector. Unfortunately the Accion reps had neither paper nor electronic copies of their findings available. PAO requested both, and was assured that they would send the Embassy copies shortly.

3. Amongst points made by the briefing:

A) Upwards of 10 liters of Roundup Ultra are used per hectare sprayed

B) Glyphosate is less toxic than Vitamin A and table salt, but Roundup Ultra is 5 times more toxic than glyphosate

C) POEA is also highly toxic

D) Numerous charts indicated the high incidence of various ailments ranging from fevers to diarrhea to skin rashes found in three different Ecuadorian villages located at 2km, 5km, and 10km from the Colombian border. They claimed that the fact that people in the villages closer to the border Buffered more health problems than those further away constituted proof that the cause was the aerial eradication program in Colombia.

4. After the presentation a lengthy discussion ensued. PolOff & PAO noted that we did not doubt for a minute that Ecuadorians in these villages suffered from a variety of ailments, but that the data they presented did not seem to support the assumption that the aerial eradication campaign was responsible. Evidence did not seem to indicate that the campaign had had any adverse health effects in Colombia where the spraying had actually occurred, much less several kilometers away where it clearly had not. We also pointed out that there was a long history of applying high levels of more than 20 different pesticides in the area, any one of which could account for many of the symptoms observed.

5. The Accion reps countered by asking if we had any evidence that glyphosate and/or Roundup could not travel distances of several kilometers when sprayed. EmbOff a replied they would check with knowledgeable DOS officers who were familiar with the science, and would convey the Accion study to Washington as soon as a copy is provided to us.

6. PAO noted that we respected their right to investigate these concerns, but were curious why an environmental NGO would devote so much attention to a process whose alleged harmful effects are dubious at best, when the activity the program is designed to combat. i.e. coca cultivation and processing, has a much more negative downside environmentally. Accion Reps and AMCITS noted that it would he much more dangerous to try to take on the drug traffickers.

7. Comment: The fact that Accion Ecologica requested an appointment to present their study, contentious and flawed though it may he, represents a step forward in how this NGO has handled their concerns about environmental issues. A previous "study" they commissioned of the use of genetically modified foodstuffs in Ecuador involved a clandestine raid on a WFP warehouse here, a "selective" interpretation of the results of tests run on the stolen wheat, and a press release that garnered front-page headlines. WFP leaned about the "study" in the newspapers, and almost lost a feeding program for tens of thousands of poor Ecuadorian children in the furor that followed. End comment.

CHACON

Additional Addressees:

None

cc:

ANCONSUL GUAYAQUIL

AMEMBASSY BOGOTA

AMEMBASSY CARACAS

AMEMBASSY LA PAZ

ANEMBASSY LIMA

Distribution:

TED7641

ACTION WRA-00

INFO LOG-00 AMAD-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DEAE-00 DINT-00 SRPP-00

USIE-00 CRYE-00 FMP-00 ECA-00 DRL-02 SAS-00 /004w EO8BA2 302l44Z /38

R 302124Z AUG 02

FM ANEMBASSY QUITO

TJNCLAS SIFTED

UNCLAS SIFTED UNCLASSIFIED

TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2486

INFO ANc0NSUL GUAYAQUIL

NIEMBASSY BOGOTA

AMEMBASSY CARACAS

AMEMBASSY LA PAZ

AMEMBASSY LIMA

USCINCSO MIAMI FL

UNCLAS QUITO 002851

STATE FOR WRA/AND; INL (RTHOMPSON); WHA/PD (BBYERS) USCINCSO FOR POLAD

5.0. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KPA0~ SNAR; EC