PHA-Exchange> Nestle Supports Right to Food ? (2)

[claudio]

From:  <w.b.eide at basalmed.uio.no>


There could hardly be a better illustration to Claudio's concerns in his
recent "Neutral food for non-neutral thoughts" than this Nestle-Nigeria
appropriation of the right to food.

I think we have feared that this would happen. It is however the first I
hear about of the sort. What to do? Can we think of some concerted
expression of concern? Or just leave it in order not to awaken sleeping
dogs - but how long will they sleep?
I'd be interested in the readers' opinions.
W.

Also from: w.b.eide at basalmed.uio.no
Re: Neutral food for non-neutral thoughts

I just read through this piece ('The ideological neutrality of human rights
is its greatest strength, but its proponents should not be neutral in
engaging to achieve them' *) and could not agree more with Claudio aboutt
the risk that everybody now will join what could become a bandwagon, without
bothering to go through the tedious requirements of learning and
understanding what it is really about. We should discuss this more. There is
a real danger for "inflation" indeed, and one cannot help asking "...where
were they (= those who now easily join!) at the time when the work was
really so hard and uphill in the beginning .... the lack of support for
years will be remembered while one must indeed welcome those
who really now are trying, simply because they now do understand more!
>
My personal encouragement that it is possible lies in some of the very
succesful outcomes of the recent national human rights seminars, notably in
Uganda and Mali in particular. Some material from these will soon be posted
on our website
W.

*: Human Rights Reader 43