Liberty Institute - Revision history

Claire Robinson at 21:42, 17 March 2009

2009-03-17T21:42:14Z

Claire Robinson at 21:40, 17 March 2009

2009-03-17T21:40:18Z

Claire Robinson at 18:11, 25 November 2008

2008-11-25T18:11:56Z

David at 00:27, 31 January 2006

2006-01-31T00:27:15Z

Michael at 13:38, 1 December 2005

2005-12-01T13:38:42Z

New page

The Liberty Institute (aka The Julian Simon Centre) is an extreme right-wing anti-regulation pressure group based in New Delhi, India. It's also part of rightwing coalitions like the US-based [[International Consumers for Civil Society]] (ICCS) and the London-based [[International Policy Network]] (IPN).

The institute's founder and director is [[Barun Mitra]]. Mitra and Liberty lobbied hard for commercial approval for Monsanto's GM cotton, claiming there should be [http://www.libertyindia.org/policy_reports/bt_cotton_info_march2002.htm 'free access'] to new technologies without any government interference: 'Any government is ill-placed to judge the merits and the potential of any frontier technology. The vetoing power of the government is susceptible to being misused by vested interests who concoct pseudo-scientific arguments and often use unethical means for influencing government's decisions.'

In March 2002 in the run up to India's approval of the commercialisation of Monsanto's GM cotton, the Liberty Institute hosted a [http://www.libertyindia.org/events/bt_cotton_march2002invite.htm press conference] at which representatives of large corporate farmers threatened to grow Monsanto's GM cotton regardless of regulatory approval. The group of farmers' leaders present included [[Sharad Joshi]], [[Chengal Reddy]] of what was billed as the '[[Indian Farmers Federation]]', Mrs. [[Saroja Kashikar]] of the [[Kisan Coordination Committee]] (KCC) and [[Bhupinder Singh Mann]] who is also part of the KCC. None of these 'farmers' leaders' has a significant constituency.

Liberty and Mitra have strong [[AgBioWorld]] connections. Mitra collaborated on a pro-GM [[AgBioWorld]] document called [http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech-info/articles/agbio-articles/critical.html 'critical questions in agricultural biotechnology'] with [AgBioWorld] co-founder, [[Greg Conko]] of the [[Competitive Enterprise Institute]] (described by PR Watch as a 'well-funded front for corporations') and Matt Metz. AgBioWorld's [[CS Prakash]], has taken part in Liberty [http://www.libertyindia.org/seminars/biotech_forum_april01.htm events] in support of GM.

Liberty has also been a strong supporter of Big Tobacco, publishing an attack on the World Health Organisation by Roger Scruton - the British philosopher recently exposed as being in the pay of the tobacco industry - with a forward by Barun Mitra. In Liberty's [http://www.angelfire.com/mi/libertyinstitute/tobacco2.html press release] for the book it is claimed, 'The anti-tobacco crusade from the West, like the environmental one as manifested at the WTO meeting Seattle last December, is the newest manifestation of the neo-imperialistic desires.'

Attacking corporate critics as 'neo-colonialists' is a frequent ploy. The Liberty Institute and Mitra are used in this way, as is the Kenyan James Shikwati and the US-based Indian scientist CS Prakash, to put a Third World face on a pro-corporate agenda and to denigrate and discredit civil society movements in the Third World who challenge corporate interests.

An example of this was a march in support of free trade and biotechnology, involving farmers like [[Chengal Reddy]], at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August 2002. James Shikwati wrote a commentary about the march for The (London) Times headlined, 'I do not need white NGOs to speak for me'. Mitra made a speech during the march in which he gave a [http://www.libertyindia.org/events/barun_award.htm 'Bullshit award for Sustaining Poverty'] to the Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva. In making the award, Mitra condemned Shiva as 'a mouthpiece of western eco-imperialism'.

However, the media contact given on the [http://www.libertyindia.org/events/bullshit_award_28august2002.htm press releases] for both the march and for Mitra's award was [[Kendra Okonski]], the daughter of a US lumber industrialist who has worked for various right wing anti-regulatory NGOs - all funded and directed by 'whites'. These include the [[Competitive Enterprise Institute]], a Washington-based 'think tank' whose multi-million dollar budget comes from major US corporations, amongst them [BIO] member Dow Chemicals. Okonski also runs the website [[Counterprotest.net]], where her specialty is helping right wing lobbyists take to the streets in mimicry of popular protesters.

Okonski works for the London-based [[International Policy Network]] and the deceptively named [[Sustainable Development Network]].

The Liberty Institute is believed to receive funds from the [[Atlas Foundation]], founded by [[Anthony Fisher]], whose money backs other far right 'think tanks' like the [[International Policy Network]] and the [[Institute of Economic Affairs]]. Other sources of funding are unknown. Dr Vandana Shiva has alledged that Mitra is in the pay of [[Sourcewatch:Monsanto|Monsanto]]. In May 2001 Mitra was awarded the Sir Anthony Fisher Memorial Award at a meeting of the [[Atlas Foundation]]. He's been [http://www.isil.org/resources/fnn/2001june/news-barun-mitra-award.html described] as 'definitely one of a number of emerging young superstars in the international (libertarian) movement'.

Liberty's Board of Advisors includes directors or former directors of large companies as well as the executive director of a casino based in Nepal. Liberty [http://www.libertyindia.org/jscentre.htm supports] the need for reforms aimed at greater regulatory flexibility and freedom of choice for consumers in the case of gambling.

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 In March 2002 in the run up to India's approval of the commercialisation of Monsanto's GM cotton, the Liberty Institute hosted a [http://www.libertyindia.org/events/bt_cotton_march2002invite.htm press conference] at which representatives of large corporate farmers threatened to grow Monsanto's GM cotton regardless of regulatory approval. The group of farmers' leaders present included [[Sharad Joshi]], [[Chengal Reddy]] of what was billed as the  '[[Indian Farmers Federation]]', Mrs. [[Saroja Kashikar]] of the  [[Kisan Coordination Committee]] (KCC) and [[Bhupinder Singh Mann]] who is also part of the KCC. None of these 'farmers' leaders' has a significant constituency.
-Liberty and Mitra have strong [[AgBioWorld]] connections.  Mitra collaborated on a pro-GM [[AgBioWorld]] document called [http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech-info/articles/agbio-articles/critical.html 'critical questions in agricultural biotechnology']  with [AgBioWorld] co-founder, [[Greg Conko]] of the [[Competitive Enterprise Institute]] (described by PR Watch as a 'well-funded front for corporations') and [[Matt Metz]]. AgBioWorld's [[CS Prakash]], has taken part in Liberty [http://www.libertyindia.org/seminars/biotech_forum_april01.htm events] in support of GM.
+Liberty and Mitra have strong [[AgBioWorld]] connections.  Mitra collaborated on a pro-GM [[AgBioWorld]] document called [http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech-info/articles/agbio-articles/critical.html 'critical questions in agricultural biotechnology']  with AgBioWorld co-founder, [[Greg Conko]] of the [[Competitive Enterprise Institute]] (described by PR Watch as a 'well-funded front for corporations') and [[Matt Metz]]. AgBioWorld's [[CS Prakash]], has taken part in Liberty [http://www.libertyindia.org/seminars/biotech_forum_april01.htm events] in support of GM.
 Liberty has also been a strong supporter of Big Tobacco, publishing an attack on the World Health Organisation by [[Roger Scruton]] - the British philosopher recently exposed as being in the pay of the tobacco industry - with a forward by [[Barun Mitra]]. In Liberty's [http://www.angelfire.com/mi/libertyinstitute/tobacco2.html press release] for the book it is claimed, 'The anti-tobacco crusade from the West, like the environmental one as manifested at the WTO meeting Seattle last December, is the newest manifestation of the neo-imperialistic desires.'

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:40, 17 March 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
−	The Liberty Institute (aka ~~The~~ [[Julian Simon Centre]]) is an ~~extreme right-wing~~ anti-regulation pressure group based in New Delhi, India. It's also part of ~~rightwing~~ coalitions like the US-based [[International Consumers for Civil Society]] (ICCS) and the London-based [[International Policy Network]] (IPN).	+	The '''Liberty Institute''' (aka the [[Julian Simon Centre]]) is an anti-regulation pressure group based in New Delhi, India. It's also part of right-wing coalitions like the US-based [[International Consumers for Civil Society]] (ICCS) and the London-based [[International Policy Network]] (IPN).

	The institute's founder and director is [[Barun Mitra]]. Mitra and Liberty lobbied hard for commercial approval for [[Monsanto]]'s GM cotton, claiming there should be [http://www.libertyindia.org/policy_reports/bt_cotton_info_march2002.htm 'free access'] to new technologies without any government interference: 'Any government is ill-placed to judge the merits and the potential of any frontier technology. The vetoing power of the government is susceptible to being misused by vested interests who concoct pseudo-scientific arguments and often use unethical means for influencing government's decisions.'		The institute's founder and director is [[Barun Mitra]]. Mitra and Liberty lobbied hard for commercial approval for [[Monsanto]]'s GM cotton, claiming there should be [http://www.libertyindia.org/policy_reports/bt_cotton_info_march2002.htm 'free access'] to new technologies without any government interference: 'Any government is ill-placed to judge the merits and the potential of any frontier technology. The vetoing power of the government is susceptible to being misused by vested interests who concoct pseudo-scientific arguments and often use unethical means for influencing government's decisions.'

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:11, 25 November 2008
Line 20:		Line 20:

	Liberty's Board of Advisors includes directors or former directors of large companies as well as the executive director of a casino based in Nepal. Liberty [http://www.libertyindia.org/jscentre.htm supports] the need for reforms aimed at greater regulatory flexibility and freedom of choice for consumers in the case of gambling.		Liberty's Board of Advisors includes directors or former directors of large companies as well as the executive director of a casino based in Nepal. Liberty [http://www.libertyindia.org/jscentre.htm supports] the need for reforms aimed at greater regulatory flexibility and freedom of choice for consumers in the case of gambling.
		+
		+	==Notes==
		+	<references/>
		+	[[Category:GM]][[Category:Far-Right Think-Tanks (GM)]][[Category:GM Lobby Groups]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The Liberty Institute (aka The Julian Simon Centre) is an extreme right-wing anti-regulation pressure group based in New Delhi, India. It's also part of rightwing coalitions like the US-based [[International Consumers for Civil Society]] (ICCS) and the London-based [[International Policy Network]] (IPN).
+The Liberty Institute (aka The [[Julian Simon Centre]]) is an extreme right-wing anti-regulation pressure group based in New Delhi, India. It's also part of rightwing coalitions like the US-based [[International Consumers for Civil Society]] (ICCS) and the London-based [[International Policy Network]] (IPN).
 In March 2002 in the run up to India's approval of the commercialisation of Monsanto's GM cotton, the Liberty Institute hosted a [http://www.libertyindia.org/events/bt_cotton_march2002invite.htm press conference] at which representatives of large corporate farmers threatened to grow Monsanto's GM cotton regardless of regulatory approval. The group of farmers' leaders present included [[Sharad Joshi]], [[Chengal Reddy]] of what was billed as the  '[[Indian Farmers Federation]]', Mrs. [[Saroja Kashikar]] of the  [[Kisan Coordination Committee]] (KCC) and [[Bhupinder Singh Mann]] who is also part of the KCC. None of these 'farmers' leaders' has a significant constituency.
-Liberty and Mitra have strong [[AgBioWorld]] connections.  Mitra collaborated on a pro-GM [[AgBioWorld]] document called [http://www.agbioworld.org/biotech-info/articles/agbio-articles/critical.html 'critical questions in agricultural biotechnology']  with [AgBioWorld] co-founder, [[Greg Conko]] of the [[Competitive Enterprise Institute]] (described by PR Watch as a 'well-funded front for corporations') and Matt Metz. AgBioWorld's [[CS Prakash]], has taken part in Liberty [http://www.libertyindia.org/seminars/biotech_forum_april01.htm events] in support of GM.
+Liberty has also been a strong supporter of Big Tobacco, publishing an attack on the World Health Organisation by [[Roger Scruton]] - the British philosopher recently exposed as being in the pay of the tobacco industry - with a forward by [[Barun Mitra]]. In Liberty's [http://www.angelfire.com/mi/libertyinstitute/tobacco2.html press release] for the book it is claimed, 'The anti-tobacco crusade from the West, like the environmental one as manifested at the WTO meeting Seattle last December, is the newest manifestation of the neo-imperialistic desires.'
-An example of this was a march in support of free trade and biotechnology, involving farmers like [[Chengal Reddy]], at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August 2002. James Shikwati wrote a commentary about the march for The (London) Times headlined, 'I do not need white NGOs to speak for me'. Mitra made a speech during the march in which he gave a [http://www.libertyindia.org/events/barun_award.htm 'Bullshit award for Sustaining Poverty'] to the Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva. In making the award, Mitra condemned Shiva as 'a mouthpiece of western eco-imperialism'.
+An example of this was a march in support of free trade and biotechnology, involving farmers like [[Chengal Reddy]], at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August 2002. [[James Shikwati]] wrote a commentary about the march for The (London) Times headlined, 'I do not need white NGOs to speak for me'. Mitra made a speech during the march in which he gave a [http://www.libertyindia.org/events/barun_award.htm 'Bullshit award for Sustaining Poverty'] to the Indian environmentalist [[Vandana Shiva]]. In making the award, Mitra condemned Shiva as 'a mouthpiece of western eco-imperialism'.
 Okonski works for the London-based [[International Policy Network]] and the deceptively named [[Sustainable Development Network]].
+The Liberty Institute is believed to receive funds from the [[Atlas Foundation]], founded by [[Anthony Fisher]], whose money backs other far right 'think tanks' like the [[International Policy Network]] and the [[Institute of Economic Affairs]]. Other sources of funding are unknown. Dr Vandana Shiva has alledged that Mitra is in the pay of [[Sourcewatch:Monsanto|Monsanto]]. In May 2001 Mitra was awarded the Sir [[Anthony Fisher]] Memorial Award at a meeting of the [[Atlas Foundation]]. He's been [http://www.isil.org/resources/fnn/2001june/news-barun-mitra-award.html described] as 'definitely one of a number of emerging young superstars in the international (libertarian) movement'.
 Liberty's Board of Advisors includes directors or former directors of large companies as well as the executive director of a casino based in Nepal. Liberty [http://www.libertyindia.org/jscentre.htm supports] the need for reforms aimed at greater regulatory flexibility and freedom of choice for consumers in the case of gambling.