encod.org
Peruvian Coca Growers

I'm off to do errands but first this announcement from Encod:

Dear friends,

This afternoon we will send out a press release for the launch of springtime campaign, including a short impression from the CND Meeting in Vienna. Thanks for sending that further to your press contacts.

Herewith I would like to pass on a message from an association of Peruvian coca growers who organised an event in Cuzco the beginning of this month. The message is from Genaro Cahuana, secretary of the Peasants' federation of La Convención y Lares, in southern Peru, who asked me to let you all know the following."

The event was assisted by 500 peasant representatives from the entire region. The purpose was to unite coca leaf producers and consumers to discuss common strategies to face the increasing threat of erradication operations by Peruvian government backed by the United States.

It was decided to organise a campaign to defend the right to produce and consume coca leaves, propose industrialisation of coca leaves into benefitial products as a potential option for development, and increase collaboration with other coca leaf producers in Colombia and Bolivia."

I can add that ENCOD is involved in efforts to facilitate the import of traditional coca leaf products in Europe. If people are interested in how to support these efforts, please let me know.

EUROPEAN NGO COUNCIL ON DRUG POLICY
Lange Lozanastraat 14
2018 Antwerpen
Belgium
Tel. 00 32 (0)3 237 7436
Fax. 00 32 (0)3 237 0225
E-mail:encod@glo.be
Website: www.encod.org