Re: "urged the EU to ban the trade in cat and dog fur" but did not hold the governments or countries in EUROPE responsible
- From: goodgutgut@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: 27 Dec 2005 07:22:27 -0800
Whales and whaling
The 8000-ton whaling ship Nisshin Maru on a collision course with the
657-ton conservation ship Farley Mowat on Christmas Day. Picture / Sea
Shepherd
The 8000-ton whaling ship Nisshin Maru on a collision course with the
657-ton conservation ship Farley Mowat on Christmas Day. Picture / Sea
Shepherd
Hiroshi Hatanaka: Anti-whaling terrorists put lives at risk
28.12.05
The following is an open letter from the head of the Japanese research
whaling programme to the head of Greenpeace Japan.
December 27, 2005
Mr Junichi Sato
Campaigns Director
Greenpeace Japan
Sir:
Greenpeace's intention to highlight environmental degradation of the
seas with the aim of protecting the marine environment is in itself
laudable. However, your organisation's actual behaviour is nothing but
an opinionated display of self-righteousness.
Contrary to your organisation's mission statement to carry out
"non-violent protest", your boats pursue our research vessels; your
crewmembers disregard the international law of the sea and repeatedly
engage in the illegal and dangerous hindrance of our research
activities in the Antarctic.
I strongly request Greenpeace stops pursuing our research vessels
immediately and refrains from coming any closer in future.
Since December 21, in spite of repeated warnings and requests to move
away, your activists continue to approach the Nisshin-Maru and our
other vessels. Your organisation continues to put in danger the lives
of your crews by trying to board our vessels. In short, these actions
amount to piracy. While such actions put at risk the lives of your
activists, which is your choice, it also puts at risk the lives of our
crews as well.
I draw your attention to the fact that the crews of your Zodiac boats
are coming in front of the harpoon. Though we pay prudent attention to
ensure their safety, the explosive grenade harpoon, as well as the
high-calibre rifle used as a secondary killing method, renders the
situation an extremely dangerous one. There is also the risk of your
crews' entanglement in the harpoon rope and, needless to say, once the
harpoon has hit the whale, the area surrounding the vessel becomes very
hazardous. The carelessness of your obstructive activities has the
potential of provoking a serious accident.
Once again, I strongly suggest that you immediately stop these stunts.
As you may be aware, an accident has already occurred. At the time of
passing a whale carcass from a sampling/sighting vessel to the
Nisshin-Maru, the crew of one of your Zodiac boats ignored our
warnings, became entangled in the wire and capsized. Your boats and
your obstructive activities are creating a situation where, sooner or
later, an accident involving serious injury or worse may happen.
If any other such accident happens as a result of your illegal
disturbance, Greenpeace will be to blame: it is your organisation that
is creating this risky situation. Any accident involving your activists
will be your exclusive responsibility.
The captains of the Nisshin-Maru research fleet, which is registered in
and operated under the laws of Japan, have the duty of ensuring the
safety of our crew and vessels. Any trespassing onto these vessels by
any member of your organisation shall be dealt with in accordance with
Japanese law.
The data of Japanese Greenpeace activists engaged in the obstruction of
Japan's whale research program will be submitted to the authorities as
evidence for indictment and criminal prosecution. Furthermore, any
escalation of Greenpeace's violent activities would correspond to
piracy as defined by Article 101 of the United Nations' Law of the Sea.
Your websites show that Greenpeace is now co-operating closely with the
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to further your activities in the
Antarctic.
The Sea Shepherd boat, the "Farley Mowat", has already foolhardily
tried to approach the Nisshin-Maru and deployed a mooring line with the
intent of entwining her propeller. These are extremely dangerous
actions.
It is widely known that Sea Shepherd has engaged in criminal and
violent activity in the past, such as setting fire to and sinking
whaling vessels in Iceland and Norway and fishing vessels in Spain and
other countries.
Sea Shepherd is a terrorist organisation - their members use threats
of violence, sabotage and an open disregard for human life in
furthering their cause. From your recent activity and acknowledgment on
your websites, I can only conclude that Greenpeace is colluding and
co-operating with Sea Shepherd; that you have recognised Sea Shepherd
and are proclaiming to the international community that Greenpeace
itself is kindred to the same violent and eco-terrorist approaches that
Sea Shepherd is well-known to undertake.
Hiroshi Hatanaka
Director-General
The Institute of Cetacean Research
.
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