Chronogram of cases of intoxication and death from toxic agro-chemical spraying,

and protests against the resulting environmental pollution

Paraguay (2003-2006)

Compiled by BASE IS

January 2003 – 2006

Date	Place	Event
2003
January 8, 2003	Pirapey 35, Edelira, Itapúa	The child Silvino Talavera Villasboa dies in the Encarnación Regional Hospital due to gastrointestinal problems caused by toxic agro-chemical intoxication. (Round Up, de Monsanto+ciermetrina)
January 8, 2003	Pirapey 35, Edelira, Itapúa	Seven other children suffer similar gastrointestinal problems. Six of them are hospitalized in the Encarnación Regional Hospital.
February 6, 2003	Pirapey 57 2ª línea, Itapúa	Small farmers organized in the Teko pora rekavo Committee threaten to demonstrate against the use of toxic agro-chemicals.
February 11, 2003	Pirapey 57 3ª línea, Itapúa	Small farmers demand a halt to the indiscriminate use of toxic agro-chemicals. They request that the method of production be changed, that toxic agro-chemicals are no longer used and that alternatives be found congenial with health and life.
February 12, 2003	Alto Vera, Itapúa	Contamination forces small farmers and farm workers to migrate to the cities. The indiscriminate logging + the intensive use of toxic agro-chemicals in the expansion of the agricultural frontier, and the pollution of waterways gravely threatens ecosystems.
March 12, 2003	Encarnación, Itapúa	CONAMURI organizes a huge demonstration for the International Day of Women. The principal slogan is “No to the indiscriminate and criminal use of toxic agro-chemicals!”
June 6, 2003	Minga Porâ, Alto Paraná	The silk producing company Seda y Fibras denounces the intoxication of hundreds of small producers, mulberry plantations and a larva-producing laboratory caused by aerial spraying soy fields with monochrotophs.
July 2, 2003	3 de febrero 5ª línea, Caaguazú	A women dies presumably from toxic agro-chemicals spraying in soy fields but the cause of death cannot be confirmed because a doctor did not issue a death certificate.
July 2, 2003	3 de febrero Guayaibí, Caaguazú	Inhabitants denounce grave environmental destruction and fear for their health. A school is repeatedly attacked with toxic agro-chemicals. A white cloud of pungent and unbearable odor surrounds the schoolhouse in the late afternoon when the new owners spray their soy fields.
September 17, 2003	3 de febrero 5ª línea, Caaguazú	Inhabitants rise up against the toxic agro-chemical spraying of wheat fields in 3 de febrero, which have caused the death of one person and sickened others.
September 26, 2003	Juan E O'Leary, Alto Paraná	Toxic agro-chemicals kill vast numbers of fish in an area where Brazilians spray their fields and wash their machinery in the stream.
Sept. 26, 2003	Cnel. Oviedo, Caaguazú	The public prosecutor for the environment orders Brazilian growers to immediately reforest 25% of the area of their lands to compensate for the environmental damage their soy crops have caused.
Sept. 26, 2003	Tuna, Aba'i, Caazapá	Inhabitants of the area denounce aerial toxic agro-chemicals spraying which has intoxicated persons, killed livestock, and polluted streams, springs and agricultural products.
October 31, 2003	Pireka, Independen cia Guairá	Small farmers wish to avoid the use of toxic agro-chemicals in the Ybyturuzú reserve. Brazilians grow soy there without an environmental impact assessment.
October 31, 2003	San Cristobal, Alto Paraná	Small farmers denounce a Brazilian for draining a swamp to grow soy.
Nov. 6, 2003	Naranjito, Resquín, San Pedro	Inhabitants demand a halt to the indiscriminate use of toxic agro-chemicals in the pastures of the area; the product used causes adverse health impacts.
Nov. 8, 2003	Tekojoja, Vaquería, Caaguazú	Massive use of toxic agro-chemicals causes losses in the area. Inhabitants denounce the pollution of wells, streams and the crops of small farmers.
Nov. 15, 2003	Estancia Ku'a Pe, Resquín, S. Pedro	Research on pollution from toxic agro-chemicals in the area. In Estancia Ku'a Pe, soy is grown less than 20 meters from the waterways.
Nov. 17, 2003	Tekojoja, Vaquería, Caaguazú	A telling silence from the authorities. The Brazilians continue to deforest and indiscriminately use extremely toxic agro-chemicals, despite the environmental legislation that regulates their use. Inhabitants attribute the inaction of the authorities to the bribes they receive.
Nov. 20, 2003	San Agustín, J.D. Ocampos, Caaguazú	A Brasiguayo drains a 30-hectar wetland to grow wheat, even though the wetland is supposedly to be restored.
Nov. 30, 2003	Gral. Resquín, San Pedro	A stream is polluted by toxic agro-chemicals. Water samples show the presence of phosphates and chlorates.
Dec. 1, 2003	San Pedro del Paraná, Itapúa (San Pedro case)	Ten small farmer groups close to La Paz and Fram are in an emergency situation because their crops have been totally destroyed, livestock has been killed and a child has died. These calamities are attributed to the indiscriminate use of the pesticide, “matayu yos”.
Dec. 3, 2003	Pindoyu, San Pedro del Paraná, Itapúa	Itapúa is on red alert for possible intoxication by toxic agro-chemicals,\; 300 families are at risk.
Dec. 3, 2003	Potrerito, San Pedro del Paraná, Itapúa	A 9-year-old minor dies in one of the affected communities. Seven people are hospitalized in the regional Hospital for skin rashes, stomachaches and vomiting.
Dec. 4, 2003	San Pedro del Paraná Case	Public Healthcare dismisses that intoxication is the cause of the problems in the 7 communitie in S. Pedro del Paraná.
Dec. 5, 2003	San Pedro del Paraná Case	The environmental damage caused by the misuse of toxic agro-chemicals is penalized with incarceration for up to three years in the legislation on the books.
Dec. 5, 2003	San Pedro del Paraná Case	Small farmers demand compensation for crop loss on 500 hectars of land that is cultivated and rented out.
Dec. 6, 2003	Km. 10 Monday, Alto Paraná	Toxic agro-chemical spraying affects neighbors in the area, five children show signs of intoxication, chickens die and gardens wither.
Dec. 8, 2003	San Pedro del Paraná Case	The Secretary of the Environment does not fuflfill its obligations. In the area, the loss of small-scale agricultural production is evident.
Dec. 10, 2003	San Pedro del Paraná Case	Soy growers from Itapúa break the environmental laws and civic code according to SEAM, and are liable and may serve jail time.
Dec. 11, 2003	Asunción	Experts denounce that Paraguay uses prohibited substances (Sobrevivencia). All the agro-chemicals used in intensive agriculture are toxic.
Dec. 11, 2003	Asunción	Access to sprayed areas is prohibited in other countries. For 24 hours after spraying no one should enter the sprayed area to avoid direct exposure.
Dec. 12, 2003	San Pedro del Paraná Case	The government confirms that small farmers have been contaminated by toxic agro-chemicals. MAG prohibits spraying in populated areas, near waterways and in a 100 meter buffer zone.
Dec. 12, 2003	San Pedro del Paraná Case	Herbicides are found in water and urine of inhabitants. Glyphosates and toxic carbonates are found to cause skin rashes and to damage the nervous system.
Dec. 13, 2003	San Pedro del Paraná Case	Public prosecutor charges soy growers with toxic agro-chemical use that has affected several families in the area. Many foreigner growers are implicated.
Dec. 15, 2003	Ku'a Pe, Resquín, San Pedro	Public prosecutor charges Brazilians with unauthorized toxic agro-chemical use, putting the population at risk, sale and use of unauthorized chemical substances and poisoning the environmental commons.
Dec. 18, 2003	María Auxiliadora, Itapúa	A three-year-old boy is hospitalized with diarrea, presumably caused from toxic agro-chemical intoxication. The Director of the Hospital, Dr. Ninín reports that cases of diarrea and pneumonia are atypical for this time of year and that a three-month-old infant died recently due to pneumonia-like symptoms.
Dec. 25, 2003	3 de febrero, Caaguazú	Tomatoe growers on the war path against toxic agro-chemicals. Ninety per cent of their harvest is lost because of indiscriminate spraying by Brazilian soy growers.

2004
January 6, 2004	San Pedro del Paraná Case	Toxic agro-chemicals, climate change and weeds damage crops in the area.
January 7, 2004	Repatriación, Caaguazú	Small farmers denounce more cases of toxic agro-chemical contamination.
January 8, 2004	Pirapey, Itapúa	CONAMURI monitors the trial about the death from intoxication of a child (Silvino Talavera) a year ago.
January 12, 2004	Kaguare'i, Fassardi, Guairá	Senator detects cases of toxic agro-chemical contamination and attributes it to misuse of extremely dangerous toxic agro-chemicals.
January 14, 2004	Col. Jamaica, La Paloma, Canindeyú	Eight persons are intoxicated from toxic agro-chemicals in their neighborhood. They have diarrea, headaches and fever. The soy fields are near their homes. The owner of the soy plantation denies that Supermyl (an agro-chemical classified as moderately toxic) can cause intoxications. However, last January 8, a woman was diagnosized by Dr. Benigno Ortiz, of the Paraná de Katueté Clinic with the same symptoms, headache, heart palpitations and nausea, all of which were attributed to toxic agro-chemical intoxication.
January 15, 2004	Col. Jamaica, La Paloma, Canindeyú	Eight hectars of crops (yucca, cotton and peanuts) in the neighborhood are damaged by herbicides (“killsall”) used by three producers that rent nearby.
January 17, 2004	Vaquería, Caaguazú	Small farmers of several rural communities of the District request protection from the State since they are at risk of losing their crops to intensive spraying which drifts into even the most densely populated areas.
January 19, 2004	Vaquería, Caaguazú	Uncontrolled spraying is denounced because it causes skin problems in children in the area.
January 21, 2004	Ypekúa, Repatriación, Caaguazú	Resistance to spraying gives rise to violence in the area. Small farmers’ efforts to halt massive spraying ended with police repression and left several wounded. (January 20). According to the police report, unidentified persons shot at the police who were guarding the spraying of 70 hectars.
January 22, 2004	Ypekúa, Repatriación, Caaguazú	Two small farmers dead (ages: 22 and 26), nine wounded (two of them seriously) and more than 40 persons detained is the outcome of a police attack with guns on a truck that transported a group of small farmers. The truck was taking 50 farmers to join the resistance to the use of toxic agro-chemicals in a 70- hectar soy field.
January 22, 2004	Ypekúa, Repatriación, Caaguazú	The ONAC denounces that arms of war (M-16s) are used to mow down small farmers. It vows tht no spraying will occur near its affiliates because spraying assassinates small farmers.
January 23, 2004	Ypekúa, Repatriación, Caaguazú	Small farmers of the area blame the Government for the death of two small farmers during the police attack on January 20. These events prompt the farmers to strengthen their opposition to the use of toxic agro-chemicals in the area. They announce a series of demonstrations.
January 23, 2004	3 de Noviembre, Repatriación, Caaguazú	Small farmers denounce that the police torture 35 detained farmers in Ypekúa.
January 23, 2004	Ypekúa, Repatriación, Caaguazú	Because of the violence in Ypekúa, the small farmers decide to intensify their actions and announce an offensive against spraying throughout the country. (FNC)
January 24, 2004	Repatriación, Caaguazú	Small farmers in the area attribute health problems to the insecticides used by the soy growers to spray their crops. Frequent symptoms from toxic agro-chemical use include headaches, eye irritation, vomiting and skin sores. The small farmers say they prefer to die in the struggle for the defense of their land, rather than be poisoned by the Menonites.
January 24, 2004		A technician from the Office of Agricultural Inspection from the MAG says that spraying does not affect the village of Ypekúa, and that soy fields are beyond the 100 meter buffer zone. Furthermore, he assures the villagers that the products used are registered and approved by the DDV, that the spraying occurred before January 20 and was duly licensed, and that the climatological conditions were such that no chemicals drifted.
January 25, 2004	Katuete, Canindeyú	Intoxication from herbicides is confirmed in the area. Lab tests from the Santa María de la Bioquímica María H. Almada Laboratory confirm that seven persons are intoxicated and show that the abnormally low level of “colinesterasa plasmática” is indicative of intoxication from organophosphate insecticides. The persons intoxicated had all swam in a local swimming hole.
January 26, 2004	Ypekúa, Repatriación, Caaguazú	By order of the President of the Republic, the conflict zone of Ypekúa, where 40 hectars of soy were burnt, is guarded by 20 military troops and police to guarantee that the foreign soy growers can harvest their soy without being bothered and to “protect all the inhabitants of the area.”
January 29, 2004	K. 18, Ruta 1, Encarnación, Itapúa	Angry neighbors denounce the toxic agro-chemical contamination of a small stream from spraying soy fields. Several children of the area have rashes and blisters on their legs and faces, and suffer vomiting, dizziness and fevers. They denounce the massive death of fish and livestock.
January 29, 2004	La Paloma, Canindeyú	Ten victims of pesticides and herbicides confirmed by lab tests signed by Dr. Agustina Nakayama, Director of the Salto del Guairá Regional Hospital, which confirm the low levels of “colinesterasa plasmática” in the patients. The victims are neighbors from the Col. Jamaica.
January 30, 2004		Small farmers demonstrate in Asunción rejecting the massive use of toxic agro-chemicals in rurual areas. (FNC)
February 13, 2004	María Auxiliadora, Los Cedrales, Alto Paraná	About 80 families of the area are affected by the contamination of a stream (all the fish and frogs die, as well as some dogs who drink fro it). The inhabitants are consternated. The contamination is from the toxic agro-chemical use in the soy fields in the area.
February14, 2004	20 de Mayo, Minga Porâ, Alto Paraná	Parents and teachers decide to move a school because it borders a vast soy plantation. Last year many students suffered from stomachaches and headaches caused by the constant toxic agro-chemical spraying.
February21, 2004		Due to the high toxicity that affects people and the environment, the National Congress is requested to prohibit the use of the pesticides Paraquat and 2, 4 D, used widely to eliminate weeds in intensive agriculture.
May 20, 2004	Santa Rosa del Aguaray, San Pedro.	Small farmers guard San Pedro to block soy planting. Police guard the fields. The farmers are evicted from the property of a Brazilian.
June 1, 2004	Fassardi, Kaguare'i, Guairá	Small farmers pressure the Public Prosecutor to comply with the agreement signed by the prior Public Prosecutor Juan Domingo Vera (in January), the Ministry of Agriculture and farmer leaders. The conflict erupted at the beginning of the year when the inhabitants of Kaguarei, Fassardi y other companies tenaciously opposed toxic agro-chemical spraying of soy fields.
June19, 2004	Asunción.	Bills on security buffers for toxic agro-chemical spraying. MCNOC criticizes the government for not taking action within the 30-day period allotted on the bills drafted to control toxic agro-chemical spraying, establish buffer zones and set the price of cotton.
June 19, 2004	San Pedro.	Calls for boycotts of foreign products. Sampedranos calls for establishing organic agriculture zones. This would include a prohibition of GMO seeds.
July 7	Colonia Kororo'i, San Pedro.	A neighborhood association blocks an investment of US$ 10 million. Inhabitants oppose the construction of a grain silo and a soy plantation in their area.
July 29, 2004	Ciudad del Este	Trucks carrying fertilizer are detained for illegally entering the country. The truck carries fertilizer for the Daigro company from Brazil and was authorized to travel to Ciudad del Este, however, the truck was going to travel to Asunción. One of the customs agents said that this happens all the time.
August 13, 2004	Coronel Oviedo	MCNOC coordination. One of the key concerns of the MCNOC leadership is the massive sale of land to Brazilians. It plans to focus on recovering the ownership of these lands because otherwise in 20 to 30 years the area from to Coronel Oviedo will belong to Brasil.The situation in the Chaco is similar. The arrival en masse of Brazilians is resulting in the destruction of the natural resources without the authorities taken the necessary measures to halt the destruction. The MCNOC will take a tougher stance if the government does not take urgent action against the invasion of foreigners.
October 17, 2004	Colonia Tayy Care, Capiibary, San Pedro.	Small farmers destroy 1,000 meters of a property of 870 hectars in protest against Brazilian soy growers. The owner in question prepares 350 hectars for planting soy. The inhabitants foresee and fear contamination from toxic agro-chemical spraying
October 21, 2004	Fassardi, Kaguare'i, Guairá.	Farmers block soy planting in the area.
October 28, 2004	Tomás R. Pereira, Itapúa.	Some 100 farmers destroy 7 hectars of sunflower plantations and take pot shoots at plantation workers.
November 4, 2004	Mcal. López, Caaguazú.	Natural resources are degraded and destroyed in the area. Degration and irrational use of the land and total disrespect for the natural resources, especially the waterways are rampant as well as indiscriminate logging near the Yguazú River. A pasture for buffalos is now a soy field. Some inhabitants think there is new owner but it still is the private company Agrisa-Agrorama-Entrerios.
November 3, 2004	Kaguare'i, Fassardi, Guairá.	Farmers oppose the spraying of corn plantations and soy because of the indiscriminate use of pesticides and herbicides in the plantations. Soldiers guard the soy fields. About 100 troops are sent to Kaguare'i, Fassardi, Guairá.
Noviembre 5, 2004	Alto Vera, Itapúa	500 hectars of natural pasture lands are destroyed by a Menonite producer that wants to grow GMO soy and rice in the San Rafael ecological reserve. The Public Prosecutor from San Pedro del Paraná halts the destruction.
November 12, 2004	Capiatá, Central	A truck with more than 2,000 liters of toxins (four kinds of toxic agro-chemicals, two of them highly toxic) overturns in Route II bound for Minga Porâ, Alto Paraná. The chemicals were being trucked without fulfilling the proper safety requirements. The accident was close to causing a health and environmental disaster of grave consequences. In the following hours, 30 persons were hospitalized for breathing poisonous fumes. The products in question are: metadof and duron which are highly toxic and navafate and navaquat, which are moderately toxic.
November 14, 2004	Fassardi, Guairá.	Four farmers are detained and the situation is tense. 600 farmers mobilize to protest the detentions and vow to halt soy planting in the Llano estate, which borders this community. Soldiers guard the estate to protect the physical integrity of the farm workers that grow the soy.
December 1, 2004	Maracaná, Curuguaty.	The report of Dr. Luís Arestivo, Director of the Disctrict Hospital, confirms the intoxication of 25 farmers by aerial spraying with chemicals, including glyphosate. The parties responsible for the spraying are the Brazilian brothers Elías y Eliseo Ortolán wholive in Séte Quedas, Brasil.
December 17, 2004	Tekojoja, Vaquería, Caaguazú.	As authorities and farmer leaders meet to achieve social peace in the country, a judge in Caaguazú orders the eviction of 46 families from their land. The police burn their homes and Braziguayos destroy the crops of the evicted families.

2005
January 3, 2005	Capiatá	SEAM officials verify once again the situation in the Capiatá stream, “where a few days ago fish died”. In the course of the verification, the environmental status of three companies was reviewed and it was found that they do not have environmental permits.
January 8, 2005	Colonia Primero de Marzo, Villa Ygatymi.	Forty six families live terrorized by the gunfire of the employees of the cattle rancher Ferreira de Souza. The gun-touting employees are presumed to be undocumented Brazilians who the rancher has hired to guard his 270 hectar property which was invaded by 30 landless families. The rancher publically brags that he is protected by the public prosecutors, judges and police of the area. The small farmers, however, say that the rancher does not have a land title and they request the intervention of Indert.
January 10, 2005	Minga Guazú, Alto Paraná.	Saturday, the 8^th, a truck that transported toxic agro-chemicals flips over in the international highway VII, and 23 kilos of insecticide and fertilizer are spilled. Neighbors suffer symptoms of intoxication from the spillage (headaches and dizziness). They request information on the possible consequences of the toxins.
January 11, 2005	Minga Guazú, Alto Paraná	SEAM technicians review the area around Minga Guazú, Alto Paraná where 23 kilos of toxic agro-chemicals were spilled. The technicians say that there is no danger of contamination for persons or the environment despite confirming that gliphosate y metamidophos (both classified as highly toxic) are present. The technicians afirm that the response was quick and effective and that direct contact with the population has been avoided. They also that the nauseating odor in the area is normal and that it could last for two weeks.
January 11, 2005	Minga Guazú, Alto Paraná.	The pesticides and herbicides spilled at kilometer 20 of Route 2, Capaiata, Central (Nov. 11, 2004) were buried in Minga Porâ by order of the environmental authorities. However, the SEAM usually recommends that such toxins be isolated in wetproof containers to neutralize them and to avoid short and medium term damage to the environment and the public’s health.
January 11,2005		According to Act 2.459 (January 1, 2005), Senave, “must control the quality, use and level of residues of toxic agro-chemicals in the country.” Highly toxic agro-chemicals must be regulated and controled as soon as possible, since there is a dramatic increase in the spillage of these products in the highways and the conditons of transportation are highly irregular, that is, they do not comply with the most minimum protocol for transporting toxic chemicals (fertilizers, insecticides, toxic agro-chemicals, etc.) In Article 6 , para. C of the cited Act, it states ensure that the quality of the vegetable products and subproducts, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers and soil additives, so as to minimalize the risk to human, animal and plant health and the environment. Similiarly in paragraph d) to ensure that the levels of residues of pesticides and herbicides in vegetable products and subproducts is kept within the allowed limits. In summary, this Secretary “has the responsibility to control and regulate the sale and use of toxic agro-chemicals in the country.
January 17, 2005	Estado de Mato Grosso, Brasil (borders with Paraguay)	The State of Mato Grosso, Brasil is a cooridor for the illegal traffic of toxic agro-chemicals (fungicides and insecticides) that are slated for other states in the neighboring country. The Auditor de la Receita Federal of the Office of Prosecution of Trafficking states that these shipments are even escorted by an additional four or five trucks. Sometimes the toxic agro-chemicals are flown in in small planes that land on runways that belong to offical entities of the State de Mato Grosso near the border with Paraguay.
January 18, 2005	La Fortuna, Alto Paraná	Inhabitants denouce the death of livestock and the massive contamination of streams, caused by unregulated aerial spraying by soy growers, affirmed the President of the Permanenet Commission of the Junta Departemental, Eladio Brítez. He also stated that the situation is getting worse because the government is not interested in solving the perverse practice perpetuated in the name of economic growth. The neighbors say that the Braziguayan soy growers spray their crops without considering the climatological conditions nor the time of day and with “nary a thought about the consequences for the health of the neighbors nor the impacts on the environment”. The problem of the indiscriminate contamination of the environment will get worse if the National Government does not take regulatory measures.
January 19, 2005	Minga Porâ, Alto Paraná.	Inhabitants in Minga Porâ, demonstrated to demand the removal of toxic agro-chemicals stored in the town. The toxic agro-chemicals were brought to the present site after a spillage in the City of Capiatá (Nov. 11, 2004), the prosecutor in charge of the case ordered the chemicals to be buried in a well on the lot of the cooperative who owned the toxins, without informing the town.
January 27,2005	San Pedro del Paraná, Itapúa	The President of the Republic gave out contributions to persons affected by toxic agro-chemicals. He gave G. 44.250.000 to the indigenous community of Obligado y Pirapó, who suffered the adverse impacts of the misuse of toxic agro-chemicals in December 2003. The monies delivered are for a honey production project. He also gave two committees threshing machines valued at G. 30.042.198 each. He also promised to send more support for the six remaining communities. In addition, he distributed checks for G. 37.656.000, 52.840.000 and 37.656.000 to leaders of the Projects of the Mbói Chini River Basin.
January 28, 2005		The FAO presented a report in which it expresses concern about 300 tons of expired toxic agro-chemicals that are stored in several depots of the MAG, customs and some private sector depots.
January 29, 2005	Encarnación, Departamento de Itapúa,	The contamination of a stream by toxic agro-chemicals used to spray soy plantations is denounced, as well as the death of fish and livestock and skin rashes in children in the neighborhood who also suffer from vomiting, dizziness and fever. Around this town, “there are 60 hectars of soy plantations owned by different people, some of whom do not live nearby.”
February 2005	Encarnación, Itapúa	Tuesday, February 8, a newspaer article reports the discovery of 80 drums of extremely toxic Milonga 600 (Metamidofos) Class 1 and Metamidofos Agrotec insecticides. The dangerous garbage was found on the banks of the Quiteria Stream, only 3 kilometers from the center of the City of Encarnación, Itapúa, in an area where a sewage treatment plant is being built. The abandoned drums belong to the AGROTEC S.A. company. About a week later, on the 11th, more toxic agro-chemicals were found. This time it was containers of herbicides and fungacides, like 2-4 D, with active compounds like monocrotofos Class 1 which are classified with a red and yellow toxicity tag. This new discovery was also found in Itapúa, in the Curupayty neighborhood, 20 kilometers from the center of Encarnación. Local government officals already foresee that Itapúa could become a toxic residue dump since those in charge of enforcing the environmental legislation are inactive.[1] These two incidents join the list of toxic residues which includes the spillage of toxic substances on highways near Capiatá and Minga Guazú in the last few months.
March 11 – 15, 2005	Departamento de Paraguari	The FAO has a pilot project called “Aid for renovating and eliminating obsolete pesticides and herbicides and strategies for prevention of future accumulation” whereby 25 metric tons of contaminated products and toxic agro-chemicals will be eliminated from the OFAT factory in the Province of del Paraguari, and sent to Europe, since Paraguay does not have high temperature incinerators. The plan is slated to be extended to other areas of the country.
March 17 – 19, 2005	Tomás Romero Pereira, Itapúa.	A new discovery: Some 300 drums of toxic residues are found buried in a lot, which is “property of the municipal intendent of the Tomás Romero Pereira district”, Itapúa, about five kilometers from the city center in the Ma. Auxiliadora district. As in the previous cases, the toxins were found close to a stream, the “Guapo'y.” The complaint was presented by the municipal councilman Nicolás Barrios, last February 28^th, but it was shelved and, given the inaction of the corresponding offices, the councilman approached the SEAM. Intoxication cases: In 2004, several intoxication cases caused by toxic agro-chemical spraying in soy plantations in different parts of the country were reported.
	San Pedro.	In the first two weeks of March 2005, new cases of intoxication appeared, especially the San Pedro area. Five siblings, 13, 12, 9, 8 and 5 years old respectively were hospitalized in the Santaní Private Clinic for grave intoxication. “Presumably, they ate mandarins covered with toxic agro-chemicals from the soy fields that start 500 meters from the children’s home.”
March 21 – 27, 2005	Capiatá.	Four months after the toxic spillage in Capiatá, the fallout is still obvious and the population still suffers from “skin rashes and respiratory infections. The inhabitants clamor for the responsible authorities to take action,” since until now there has been no conclusive investigation nor “sanctions issued by the authorities vested with controling the transportation of these substances nor any measures taken against the transport company Transproduc SRL”. In yet another case of trafficking of contraband herbicides, the administration of justice is blocked and it “is probable that the case will be annulled”. All tax evasion should be addressed first by the administrative authorities (Treasury) and then processed by the penal authorities. In the case of Exportado Pasex, suspected of “falsifying receipts and laundering money to avoid paying 8 billion guaraníes in taxes, it will not be charged with tax evasion until its administrative status is sorted out first, “which could take four years.”
	Ciudad del Este	Another similar case involves the importer of toxic agro-chemicals Diagro SA from Ciudad del Este. The company was accused of smuggling into the country more than 37,000 liters of Boral SC 500, a potent herbicide, valued at 1.2 million dollars. Both Customs and and the Public Prosecutor investigated the case. Customs confirmed that there had been tax evasion for more than 790 million guaraníes and the Ministry had grounds to denounce additional evasion, but its work was suspended by a court order and an order ratified by the Court of Appeals. Despite the summary compiled by Customs and the documents presented by the public prosecutor, “ the conclusion was that there had been no tax evasion and that the case was headed toward exoneration.”
May 6, 2005	Aba'i, Caazapá.	At the beginning of last year (2004), many complaints about deforestation for soy cultivation were presented. Because of these complaints, in December 2004, the “Zero Deforestation”Act was passed. Notably, in the area around Aba'i, Caazapá, a complaint was presented about 300 hectars of native ecosytems being deforested without the corresponding permits from the respective institutions.The property belongs to the Company Clavos y Alambres S.A. which, just presented in April a “land use plan,” even thou it had already clear cut the entire area. There are 20 ovens for making charcoal and there no longer is any wood left to cut in the sawmills. According to the neighbors “the cleared land will be used to plant soy.”
May 13, 2005	Ciudad del Este	A new case of smuggling toxic agro-chemicals was denounced on May 12^th of this year in the area of Ciudad del Este. “The sale was not only illegal, but it also caused panic when it was shipped via Lake Itaipú because the boat was overloaded. (The chemicals weighed 500 kilos.) The shipment left Puerto Indio in Paraguay and headed to the municipality of Santa Helena in Brazil. The complaint was presented by the “Taskforce of Maritime Polica” (Nepom), an arm of the Federal Police of Brazil dependiente de la Policía Federal del Brasil. Meanwhile in Paraguay the Police didn’t have a clue about what had happened.” Members of the Federal Police said that toxic agro-chemicals are often smuggled from Puerto Indio, Paraguay by Lake Itaipú to the Municipality of Sant Helena, Brazil. Obviously, the Paraguayan authorities are not effectively addressing this situation. We recall that in all the cases of toxic agro-chemical smuggling that have been cited in the media, there usually is a lack of documentation and information about the trafficking, so impunity reigns. (As was the case with Pasex, in which the falsification of receipts and the false front of the operations was such that the 8 billion guaraníes in back taxes was never collected. The same is true in the case the toxic agro-chemical importer, Diagro SA’s tax evasion to the tune of 1.2 million dollars).
May 31, 2005		FAO statistics confirm that pollutants have increased from “10.000 to more than 30.000 tons in Latin America”; The increase is due to the obsolete toxic pesticides that are stockpiled. The FAO estimates that “ about 3 million dollars are needed to remove and destroy these stockpiles of pollutants.” FAO is preparing “regional raining programs” that include nine Latin American countries to do a “complete inventory of the pesticides and to learn to plan and supervise a campaign for clean up.” Paraguay is no exception to this grave situation. In the last couple of years there have been cases of: pesticide stockpiles burning (July 2003); spillage of chemicals in the City of Capiatá (November 2004), Minga Guazú (January 2005); containers of chemicals found in the Province of Itapúa (Febraury 2005) to name just a few. The effort to clean up “25 tons of pesticides and highly contaminated material that was dispersed after the fire in July 2003” in Asunción, caused grave pollution of the Paraguay River – a tributary of the Paraná River that empties into the Atlantic – which adversely affected the river population and many residents now present symptoms of chronic intoxication.” The majority of these cases were presented as complaints but until now the authorites have yet to ressolve anything. Whether the cause be apathy, lack of evidence or lack of funding, the perpetrators get off scott free and those that suffer the consequences are not protected by the Parguayan authorities.
June 1 y 8, 2005	Encarnación, Itapúa	The elimination of obsolete pesticides is fundamental to avoid the contamination of the environment and the intoxication of the persons who live nearby. As part of its Regional Training Program, the FAO is doing an Inventory of Obsolete Pesticides that includes nine Latin American countries.Two hundred thousand US dollars are allocated for the elimination fo these materials in our country. The preliminary results of the inventory confirm “the existence of about 300 tons of obsolete toxic agro-chemicals, 20% of which are chlorates. The second phase of the project plans to eliminate 25 tons of pesticides and herbicides that are stored in the OFAT depot in Paraguarí. It is noteworthy that the inventory is being done jointly by FAO, MAG and the SEAN, to establish the exact quantity of chlorates and non-chlorates. The work of the inventory will conclude in November of this year and the elimination process will begin in 2006. FAO will determine the elimination mechanism. FAO reported that “more than 30,000 tons of obsolete toxic pesticides are stored in Latin America.” The FAO highlighted the gravity of the situation since the FAO had estimated that they would find not more than 10,000 tons. “The worrisome statistics begin to show that there are between 30 and 50,000 tons of unused or obsolete stockpiled pesticides in LatinAmerica. The Silvino Talavera(+)[2] case was postponed until October 23 in the Palace of Justice in Encarnación, Itapúa. The case was postponed because the public prosecutor was changed. Nelson Ramos replaces Mario Duré, who was supended from the Jurado de Enjuiciamiento de Magistrados.
July 2, 2005	Encarnación, Itapúa	The Silvino Talavera Case (+). The boy Silvino Talavera (11) died on January 7^th, 2003, from toxic agro-chemical intoxication (Monsanto’s Roundup and Cipermetrina) used in spraying GMO soy fields on the land of Hermann Schlender and Alfredo Laustenlager, soy growers of German descent, on January 2^nd and 6^th in Pirapey, Province of Itapúa. The child was sprayed when he rode his bicycle on a neighborhood road that runs along the soy plantations. Two years after the fact, both soy growers were sentenced to two years in jail, not for spraying with toxic agro-chemicals, but for “imprudent conduct,” according to Dr. Luis García, a member of the jury. The verdict was arrived at after hearing oral arguments that included the declarations of 24 forestry engineers, agronomists, doctors, chemists, and other witnesses who condemned “the form of spraying, without taking the necessary precautions, since persons were in the vicinity of the crops.” The soy growers were sentenced for “being the reproachable authors of a punishable act of homocide and the production of common risks.” Mrs. Petrona Villasboa de Talavera, Silvino’s mother, said she was satisfied with the verdict and that finally justice for her son had been served. She added that “she had suffered mistreatement because of the trial and that she had received threats suggesting that she had best desist.”
	Pirapey, Itapúa	Caso Silvino Talavera. Silvino (age: 11) dies on January 7^th, 2003 from toxic agro-chemical intoxication en Pirapey, Itapúa. After the soy growers Hermann Schlender and Lauro Laustenlager are sentenced on July 7^th, all of the Talavera Villasboa family is harassed by their neighbors who serve as witnesses for the soy growers in othe trial. - A neighborhood road that has been used for 25 years is closed. The road cuts through land that either belongs to or is rented by Mr. Schlender who warns tha no members of the Villasboas or their relatives can use it. - The only dairy cow of the family dies. It may have been poisoned. - March 18^th, Mr. Demetrio Funes gives Mrs. Petrona Villasboa a death threat. Mr. Funes is supposedly the owner of the lands rented to Mr. Schlender. Mr. Funes warns Mrs. Villasboa that he is going to kill her. These incidents should be brought to the attention of the authorities and of the Paraguayan society as a whole, since this case is the first time in our country that there is a trial and a guilty verdict handed down for the indiscriminate and irresponsible use of toxic agro-chemicals. If the terrorizing of the plaintif family results actual repression, no other person, group or organization will denounce similar toxic agro-chemical intoxication cases in the future.
August 9, 2005	Asunción	Intoxication cases continue to make headlines in the print media. The cases are from the countryside, mostly in the soy producing regions. There are also articles about a growing number of transit accidents in which illegal toxic agro-chemical shipments are transported without fulfilling the minmum safety requirements. In November 2004, in the City of Capiatá, Central Province a transit accident causes more than 2,000 liters of toxins to spill on the asfalt. Four different kinds of toxins are spilled including two that are emtremely toxic. The neighbors of the site of the accident have symptoms of toxic agro-chemical exposure including headaches, dizziness, lack of appetite, eye irritation and skin rashes. Children are the most adversely affected. These are the symptoms of people who have been exposed to organophosphorates. The authorites of the Hospital dismiss the possibility that the symptoms could be related to the spillage. They attribute the skin rashes to scabies and a lack of hygiene.
October 20, 2005	Colonia Estrellita, San Pedro	The indiscriminate clear cutting by Brazilians for soy production continues unfettered by the national authorities in charge of controlling it. In a joint operation, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Forest Service and the police oppose deforestation on the property of the Brazilian, Placido Rosset. A thousand hectars have been deforested to grow soy and there are irregularities in the land use. The soy grower who lives in Maringa, Sate of Paraná, Brazil, has a “land use plan from 2004 that allows him to modify 617 hectars of forest for mechanized soy production.” However, a number of irregularities are evident. There is no green buffer zone. All the forests that protect the Jejui River and the Itakyry stream have been clearcut, and several wetlands have been drained.
October 26, 2005	Coronel Oviedo, Caaguazú	A model 360 Scania truck, loaded with an organophosphorate pesticide, a toxic and flammable liquid (code 2784/131) on its way to Ciudad del Este, turns over near kilometer 120 of Route II. There is no spillage.
October 27, 2005	San Pedro del Ykyamandyyú, San Pedro	“In one year, 4,000 hectars are clearcut around San Pedro”, and the state agencies do not set foot in the area and only recently began to review the plantations. Many of the owners of the lands in question are defendants in public prosecutor cases in Santa Rosa del Aguaray and San Pedro de Ycuamandyyú, and “charges have been brought against most of them.” Furthermore, 90% of the defendants are Brazilians who have acquired vast tracts of land in the area for soy production.”
October 28, 2005	Juan E. O’Leary, Alto Paraná	A mother in this town denounces “a new case of highly toxic agro-chemical intoxication.”[3] “The whole family sufferes from headaches, dizziness and diarrea which are the most common symptoms of people who live near sawmills.” Sawmills indiscriminately use chemical products to “eliminate pests and preserve the quality of the wood.” Accordingt to the complaint, a family of five has been adversely affected by the sawmill contamination for quite some time and has complained on many occasions to the local authorities but to no avail. Furthermore, the sawmill owners when they finish using a chemical, they just chuck it nearby or carelessly leave it outdoors.
November 1, 2005	San Juan Nepomuceno, Caazapá	Clearcutting and the indiscriminate use of highly toxic agro-chemicals are common practice of the resident aliens in our country. Once again the Secretary of the Environment documented the clearcutting of 60 hectars of forests without an environmental permit nor a land use plan. The officals also noted that the charcoal makers have polluted the waterway because “they use toxic agro-chemical containers to carry water to the charcoal ovens.”
November 3, 2005	Asunción	Customs denounces to the Public Prosecutor that 6 tons of toxic agro-chemicals have been imported with false documents. “The Director of Customs, Margarita Díaz de Vivar orders an investigation of the C&R import-export company owned by Estanislao Franco de Oliveira”.
November 4, 2005	Asunción	Senave tries to recover the toxic agro-chemicals that are illegally smuggled into the country by the C&R import-export company so that they can be embargoed.
November 9, 2005	Asunción	Custom officials are particularly concerned about the massive influx of toxic agro-chemicals more than any other product. Directors of the Chamber of Plant Safety and Fertilizers suspect that “Paraquay is a transit country and they call for measures to halt it. They also note that since 2004 these chemicals are increasing coming from China.”
November 9, 2005	Los Cedrales, Alto Paraná	A small diary farmer denounces that 14 calves have died after having drunk from a spring polluted by herbicides used in spraying soy fields owned by IVP. When officials of the Secretary of the Environment arrive to verify the incident, they are threatened by gun wielding Brazilians.
November 11, 2005	Cnel. Bogado, Itapúa	“A 72 year-old man dies from drinking from a stream laden with toxic agro-chemicals that have been used to spray nearby rice paddies.” According to the inhabitants, there were no other victims, nor has livestock or agricultural products been lost. Despite the risk to the inhabitants, not only does no government official look into the matter, but they “don’t know anything about the incident and, anyway the victim was already buried.”
November 11, 2005	Capiatá, Central	A year after 2,000,000 liters of toxic agro-chemicals are spilled in the area, “neighbors still suffer from health problems and clamor for help from the national authorities.” The most common symptoms are headaches, diarrea, skin rashes and respiratory problems. Forty families have these symptoms. A total of “about 300 persons have constant symptoms and 200 of them have not had any tests done.”
November 14, 2005	Asunción	A debate on “Soyification” its consequences and the long term forecast.” “Dr. Aníbal Carrillo, mentioned that there are companies interested in furthering the export model, and disguising the damages caused by glyphosate and Paraquat which are extremely harmful for the environment and humans. These companies alledge that if used properly these chemicals do not cause any harm whatsoever.” Mr. Carrillo also notes that at least a thousand cases of intoxication are reported each year.
November 23, 2005	San Juan Bautista, Misiones	Ninety poultry birds die. The cause could be “Newcastle”, a common poultry disease. Laboratory tests are not available.
November 24, 2005	San Juan, Misiones	According to the representative of Senacsa, Dr. Nélida Idoyaga, the birds that died tested positive for intoxication.
Novembre 25, 2005	Asunción	After the deaths of the poultry birds, in two provincial towns, Senacsa warns against the danger for both animals and humans of the misuse of toxic agro-chemicals.

2006
March 21, 2006	Santa Rita, Alto Paraná	Inhabitants of the Buen Jesús Neighborhood constantly suffer from “intoxication symptoms caused by the nearby Glymax soy plantations.” School teachers in the community call for moving the school because the students suffer toxic agro-chemical intoxication from the spraying of the soy fields. Complaints have been presented for three years (since 2003). The most common symptoms are fainting, dizziness, stomachaches, skin irritation, and coughing.
March 22. 2006	Asunción	SENAVE prohibits importing and registering four classes of insecticides based on monochrotophates and fosfamidón, but continues to allow the chemicals already in the country to be used. Those insecticides based on metamídofos are just temporaily restricted.
March 25, 2005	Asunción	SENAVE authorities and representatives of the chambers of toxic agro-chemical companies analize ways to “collect and destroy used toxic agro-chemical containers to avoid environmental contamination and to avoid risks to human life.”
March 31, 2006	San Cosme y Damian, Itapúa	Inhabitants of the banks of the Aguapié Stream once again note fish deaths in the waterway, the second such incident in the last three years. The cause is unknown, but intoxication from “the toxic agro-chemicals used in the nearby rice paddies may be a factor.”
April 1, 2006	San Cosme y Damian, Itapúa	“The spillage of some kind of chemical product is the cause of the fish deaths in the Aguapié Stream”, according to the officials in charge of Water Quality for the Binational Yacyretá Organization (EBY) and the SEAM.
April 4, 2006	Pirapo’i. Itapúa Poty, Itapúa	Inhabitants are “alarmed” because six babies from the town are born with birth defects (anencefalia), which they attribute to the excessive use of toxic agro-chemicals in the large plantations in the area (soy, wheat and other monocultures).
April 5, 2006	Itapúa	The Ministry of Public Health takes blood samples and performs other tests on the pregnant mothers in the community and concludes that the principal cause of the cases anencefalia is “folic acid deficiency” during pregnancy. There are similar cases in other districts of the province” where there are huge aoy plantations.”
April 5, 2006	Limoy, Alto Paraná	Technicians of the Sedas y Fibras silk company once again denounce losses due to silk worm intoxication from the chemicals sprayed on the soy fields by the Brazilian soy growers. Furthermore, they are “concerned about the grave pollution problem” in the area and request government action to determine the causes, since it not just silk worms that are dying but livestock as well.
April 6, 2006	Limoy, Alto Paraná	“Misuse of toxic agro-chemicals causes losses for US$ 500 for the Sedas y Fibras silk company, according to the SENAVE report. Technicans from the company note that two months ago toxic agro-chemicals were misused. They attribute all three incidents of silk worms deaths to possible toxic agro-chemical misuse. The SENAVE representative, Gumersindo Irala, states that “not only did the silk worms die, but so did other insects in the mulberry trees which are the staple of the silkworms. Apparently the insecticide that was used was extremely powerful and affects many species.”
April 6, 2006 April, 8, 9, 11 de 2006	Pirapo’i. Itapúa Poty, Itapúa Pirapo’i. Itapúa Poty, Itapúa	The MSP takes blood and water samples to investigate the causes of birth defects. According to the MSP researcher, Dr. Ricardo Pont “coincidentally, of the 57 families that are in the parameters of the damage, 17 have their homes in soy fields and three of the women whose babies have birth defects, got pregnant near the soy plantations. There are an additional seven women from the area who are pregnant and fear for the wellbeing of their offspring and are getting prenatal care at the local clinic. Zuñidla Maida, mother of the most recent case of anencefalia stated that “ when my daughter was born she had what appeared to be a reddish mole on her head. The doctors said that it was just a birthmark. Even though three months later, it began to grow, and each day it got bigger, she still has not received medical attention.” According to the official blood and water tests, supposedly there is no link between the birth defects and the toxic agro-chemicals and the birth defects are related to “poor diet and genetic diseases.” However, the report from the Minster of Health, Teresa de León, is not signed by the toxicologist in charge of the study, Evelio Cardozo, nor were copies provided to the press, all of which makes the results of the offical tests highly questionable. It is also noteworthy that there are other cases of birth defects in other parts of the province, like Alto Verá, where there are also vast soy plantations, which heightens the scepticism surrounding the offical report. In the community clinic in Pirapo’I, 10 to 15 patients daily have intoxication symptoms (diarrea, vomiting, and skin rashes). According to the nurse, Carlos Ramón Frutos, “the symptoms are treated but no studies or systematic analysis are done to identify the causes of the intoxications.” He also notes that the clinic does not just treat members of the community, but that people from other villages come to be treated “for toxic agro-chemical intoxications” as well. Inhabitants often use the toxic agro-chemical drums to carry water. The Municipal councilman points out that the small farmers do not know how to handle the toxic agro-chemicals nor how to avoid preventable problems. It is probable that small farmers are not well versed in toxic agro-chemicals management and preventable problems are caused. However, it is also true that the grave cases of the contamination of waterways, natice species and family farm crops as well as damage to the environment are caused by the excessive and irresponsible use and management of toxic agro-chemicalsin the huge RR soy plantations.
May, 17 de 2006	Asunción	Despite SENAVE’s efforts to restrict the arrival of highly toxic agro-chemicals to Paraguay, 11 millions liters of toxic agro-chemicals for use on GMO soy plantations comes in each year. These include Paraquat (very dangerous (class lb)); Gramoxone (very dangerous (class lb)); and Metamídofos (extremely dangerous (class la).[4]
May, 18 de 2006	Asunción	The mindboggling expansion of the soy frontier in Paraguay causes more negative than positive impacts. Each year there are 180,000 more hectars of soy plantations. Among the adverse impacts are the following: the accelerated reduction of forest area and the indiscriminate use of toxic agro-chemicals, specifically “22 million liters for agriculture alone, 11,000 of which are the most dangerous toxins known to man.” In additon, the concentration of land in the hands of the Brazilian producers has “generated conflicts about sovereignty and caused small farmers to migrate to the empoverished ghettos of the cities” (internal migration); drastically reduced crop diversity (cotton and others); created external dependence and, lastly, caused profoundly adverse economic, social and environmental impacts.
May, 24 de 2006	Encarnación, Itapúa	In response to the coverage in the media of intoxication cases, environmental pollution, the contamination of waterways, the widespread death of fish and other species (i.e. silk worms) including livestock, the loss of family farm crops and birth defects, a training was organized in Itapúa on toxic agro-chemical management.
May 31, 2006	Itapúa	Representatives of the Internation al Mission on Human Rights (FIAN) are in the country investigating cases of human rights violations of small farmer and Indigenous Peoples. “The mission is investigating cases of deaths, wounded, attacks, evictions, incarceration, torture, harassment and threats” in six communities in Alto Paraná, San Pedro, Itapúa, Caaguazú y Paraguari. In the Province of Itapúa, the mission is closely monitoring the Silvino Talavera case (+), and the “eviction and destruction of crops of 145 families of the “1º de Marzo” settlement. The findings of the investigation will be presented to the Supreme Court of Justice of the nation, the National Congress, the Public Prosecutor General, Indert and the United Nations Committee on Economic and Social Rights.
June 26, 2006	Encarnación, Itapúa	The MSP and the NGO Alter Vida “warn against the use of pesticides and herbicides.” According to the technical expert, Robert Rolón, the chemicals that are now used for agricultural use were originally created for chemical warfare and have “been with us for the last 55 years.” The organos fosforados are as harmful for some beneficial insects as for the pests. He concluded saying that “the presence of these toxins in the environment “ poses a risk “for all living beings.”

Source: ABC Color, La Nación y Última Hora periodicals 2003 – 2006

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[1]It should be clarified that Itapúa, along with Alto Paraná, Caaguazú and Canindeyú are the provinces with the greatest quantity of GMO soy cultivation.

[2] Died from exposure to highly toxic agro-chemical spraying in soy plantations. The child was virtually showered with chemicals by the spray tractor.

[3] Consequences from toxic agro-chemical use:

2003. January 7th, the boy, Silvino Talavera dies in Pirapey 35, Itapúa, from exposure to toxic agro-chemicals used to spray soy fields.

2004. Carlos Robles y Mario Arzamendia are killed by the Police in Ypekúa, Caaguazú, in a protest against toxic agro-chemical use.

2004. Raúl Arsenio Oviedo, Caaguazú is the first community to rise up against toxic agro-chemicals used in GMO soy cultivation.

2005. June 30, Alfredo Lautenschlager and Hermann Schlender are sentenced to two years of jail for the death of Silvino Talavera.

Sources: Newspaper, “Ultima Hora,” October 28, 2005. p. 18.

[4] “Extremely harmful to man” Paraquat: can cause lung damage and can destroy internal organs if month contact occurs; internal damage may include damage to the stomach, intestines, kidneys, liver and throat. Ingestion rapidly results in death because the chemical punctures the stomach or produces such intense inflammation that it damages the torax blood vessels and respiratory system. Repeated exposure causes lung fibroids or lung tissue rigidity. It also causes mutations.

Metamídofos: reduces the number and health of sperm and directly sterilizes exposed males. It is corrosive of eyes.

Gramoxone: causes eye damage and complications in the body. Direct exposure or ingestion causes death.”

Source: Newspaper “Ultima Hora”, May 17, p. 18.