Sri Lanka economic disaster

Sri Lanka's 2021 GMO Ban

An Investigative Report on Corruption and Economic Disaster

In 2021, Sri Lanka implemented a controversial GMO ban as part of a 100% organic farming initiative. This decision, described by some scientific organizations as anti-GMO hysteria, led to a severe economic crisis that continues to impact the country. This investigative report examines the events surrounding the ban, the subsequent economic collapse, and the suspicious circumstances that suggest corruption.

The GMO Ban and Economic Disaster

The Genetic Literacy Project, a prominent voice in the pro-GMO scientific community, characterized the situation as anti-GMO-hysteria and a reckless embrace of green politics that resulted in an economic disaster that drove millions of children into starvation. According to their report:

(2023) Sri Lanka’s disastrous ‘green’ embrace of anti-GMO hysteria When ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa banned GMO in 2021, agricultural production quickly dropped by 40%. When he fled the country due to riots in July, 7 out of 10 families were cutting down on food, and 1.7 million Lankan children risked dying from malnutrition. Source: Genetic Literacy Project (PDF backup)

Similarly, The American Council on Science and Health attributed the economic disaster directly to the GMO ban:

(2022) Anti-GMO Groups Deflect Blame for Sri Lanka's Economic Disaster Sri Lanka ran an evil experiment on its citizens last year. Under the sway of organic-food and anti-GMO activists, the government banned imports of synthetic pesticides and enforced a transition of the country to all-organic agriculture, leaving the vast majority of farmers without access to the vital tools they use to grow the crops their country depends on. Source: The American Council on Science (PDF backup)

Suspicious Circumstances

While these scientific organizations blame anti-GMO sentiment for Sri Lanka's crisis, our investigation has uncovered several suspicious circumstances that suggest a situation involving corruption:

GMO Imports During the Ban

Despite the supposed GMO ban, a U.S. Department of Agriculture report reveals that Sri Lanka imported $179 million worth of GMO food in 2021:

US report on GMO crop cultivation legislation in Sri Lanka

(2023) US report confirms GMO food production in Sri Lanka The United States and Sri Lanka have a mutually beneficial agricultural trade relationship. The import of Genetic Engineered (GE) crops and animals was worth $179 million in 2021. However, Sri Lanka does not yet export GMO products to the United States. A draft legal framework for Biosecurity legislation for the enactment of the National Biosecurity Act is with the Legal Draftsman's Department and is awaiting the approval of the Attorney General and the Cabinet. Source: AgricultureInformation.lk | Document of United States Department of Agriculture

This document not only confirms significant GMO imports during the ban but also indicates that Sri Lanka was cultivating GMO crops and awaiting legislation for planned commercialization in 2023.

Presidential Misconduct

During the GMO ban, then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa allegedly engaged in reckless spending for personal gain. According to a Sri Lankan insider:

(2023) Is the organic farming policy the cause of Sri Lanka's economic crisis? What is the truth? For political gain they sprinkled subsidies to various departments. That has become a major cause of empty coffers. At present, the government has no money even to pay the salaries of the government employees. Source: (PDF backup)

This unethical behavior seems at odds with the purported ethical motivations behind the organic farming initiative.

IMF Bailout and Potential Coercion

After fleeing the country due to riots, Rajapaksa claimed that a $2.9 billion IMF bailout was the only option to recover from the economic collapse. This statement raises concerns, given the IMF's alleged history of involvement in enforcing GMO adoption through economic pressure.

The irony of ironies. An institution which across the globe has been acknowledged as anti-people, elitist and responsible for increasing poverty, misery and destitution across dozens of countries, is now being seen as the only saviour for the people in Sri Lanka.

(2023) 'Only option to emerge from crisis is to seek the support of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)' Sri Lanka President said on economic collapse. Source: 🇮🇳 Mint

The involvement of the IMF raises additional questions. A 2012 case in Hungary saw the country's leadership forced to reject IMF assistance in order to maintain its GMO ban. This incident, along with WikiLeaks revelations about U.S. diplomatic cables showing pressure on nations to adopt GMO crops, suggests a pattern of using economic leverage to influence agricultural policies.

(2012) Hungary Throws Out GMO AND the IMF Hungary's PM Victor Orbán had thrown GMO giant Monsanto out of the country, going as far as to plow under 1000 acres of land. It's remarkably hard to find sources on this, ironically. It’s even harder, even more ironically, to find anything that mentions the Wikileaks report on the connections between the US government and the GMO industry and the sanctions imposed on Hungary through the IMF. Source: The Automatic Earth (2012) US to Start Trade Wars with Nations Opposed to GMO Source: Natural Society WikiLeaks: US targets opponents of GM crops: Eat GMOs! or We'll Cause Pain The cables show US diplomats working directly for GM companies such as Monsanto and Bayer.
Opponents of GMO punished with retaliation and pain.

The Organic Farming Experiment: A Closer Look

Several aspects of Sri Lanka's organic farming initiative raise questions about its true intentions:

Timing: The experiment was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Sri Lanka's tourism-dependent economy was already severely impacted.

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Import restrictions: The government banned the import of certain raw materials, demanding that farmers produce them domestically. This led to significant shortages.

Lack of preparation: Farmers, accustomed to chemical fertilizers, were suddenly forced to shift to organic methods without adequate training or support.

Price increases: The transition period to organic farming typically results in lower yields. This, combined with pandemic-related economic pressures, led to skyrocketing prices for goods.

Conclusion

The facts surrounding Sri Lanka's GMO ban and subsequent economic crisis paint a picture that goes beyond simple anti-GMO hysteria. The massive GMO imports during the supposed ban, the president's unethical behavior, and the suspicious circumstances of the organic farming initiative all suggest corruption at play.

While scientific organizations blame anti-GMO sentiment for the disaster, our investigation reveals a more nuanced situation. The case of Sri Lanka serves as a stark reminder of the need for transparency and ethical governance in agricultural policy decisions, especially when they involve eugenics or anthropocentric GMO.