Whalers slam Greenpeace pursuit

[Guest guest]

Whalers slam Greenpeace pursuit

The Daily Telegraph

By Denis Peters

December 27, 2005

 

JAPANESE whalers have called on Greenpeace to stop pursuing its fleet in the

Southern Ocean, accusing the environmental organisation of engaging in piracy.

In an open letter to Greenpeace, Institute of Cetacean Research

director-general Hiroshi Hatanaka said the environmentalists were behaving

dangerously in pursuing whaling ships.

" Greenpeace's intention to highlight environmental degradation of the seas

with the aim of protecting the marine environment is in itself laudable, " Dr

Hatanaka said in the letter.

" However, your organisation's actual behaviour is nothing but an opinionated

display of self-righteousness.

" I strongly request Greenpeace stops pursuing our research vessels immediately

and refrains from coming any closer in future. "

Two Greenpeace vessels, the Esperanza and the Arctic Sunrise, have spent the

past week deep in the Southern Ocean engaged in a cat and mouse game with a

fleet of six whaling ships.

Japan plans to slaughter 935 minke whales and 10 fin whales in Antarctic

waters this summer as part of its whale research program.

Greenpeace expedition leader Shane Rattenbury has claimed success in

preventing some whales being taken, putting inflatable rafts in between

harpooners and the whales.

But on at least one occasion, a Greenpeace ship and a whaling ship have been

engaged in a minor collision.

Dr Hatanaka said that since December 21, in spite of repeated warnings and

requests to move away, Greenpeace had continued to approach the mother ship

Nisshin Maru and other fleet vessels.

" Your organisation continues to put in danger the lives of your crews by

trying to board our vessels, " he said. " In short, these actions amount to

piracy. "

Greenpeace chief executive Steve Shallhorn yesterday defended the tactics,

saying he would welcome any inquiry into the conduct of Greenpeace skippers and

ships at sea.

Dr Hatanaka said data on Japanese Greenpeace activists engaged in the

obstruction of the whaling would be submitted to 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, " he said.

He also criticised the crew of Sea Shepherd boat Farley Mowat, which he said

had deployed a mooring line with the intent of entangling the Nisshin Maru's

propeller.

Farley Mowatcaptain Paul Watson said on Sunday the incident occurred when his

ship tried to come alongside the Nisshin Maru.

He said the whaler headed directly at the Farley Mowat and he deployed the

mooring line to deter it.

Mr Watson said the Nisshin Maru then changed direction to avoid a collision.

 

http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,17671029-5001028,00.html

 

Send instant messages to your online friends http://au.messenger.