March 21, 2008

ATOAP (Association for Taiwan Organic Agriculture Association) Board
of Directors has been informed this morning that the name "Taiwan" has
been reintegrated for IFOAM - International Federation of Organic
Agriculture Movement, and officially included on IFOAM directory website.

Some weeks ago, under Chinese IFOAM members Organic associations
political pressures, the name " Taiwan " was changed on IFOAM media and
its website into "Taipei Chinese".

Such a move was immediately contested by ATOAP and all its components as
well as other IFOAM members from various countries.

ATOAP considered such a move as a "political interference" within IFOAM
and a clear both ethnic and national discrimination between IFOAM
members, all that being prohibited by official rules and goals that all
IFOAM members must accept and respect.

ATOAP protested to the IFOAM World Board about this issue and officially
demanded that the name " Taiwan " be posted again as the State name to
which Taiwanese Organic IFOAM members belong to.

The name " TAIWAN " is officially back on IFOAM media and website with
all Taiwanese Organic associations and company members.

Political pressures and tries to discriminate Taiwanese Organic
associations within this neutral, non-political and only devoted to
Organic Agriculture NGO have been finally rejected by IFOAM leadership.

We congratulate IFOAM leadership for this positive move that is in
accordance with its rules and goals that Taiwan want to promote actively.

We now reconfirm our strong will to cooperate in the IFOAM spirit with
all international Organic associations and company members that are part
of IFOAM for reaching OUR COMMON GOAL: HEALTH, ECOLOGY, FAIRNESS, CARE

Taiwan will participate to this World process by actively welcome and
promote on its national market the Organic products from all over the world.

Taiwanese Organic associations will work within IFOAM with the sincere
will to achieve IFOAM goals as equal and full right members of Organic
World.


On behalf of ATOAP Board of Directors

Chen Shih-Shiung, Chairman of ATOAP
Philippe Vassé, Director for International Cooperation, ATOAP

 

http://www.ifoam.org/organic_world/directory/index.html#T