Guest guest Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 http://science.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1074374.php/Australia_urged_t\ o_thwart_Japanese_whaling Sydney - The Australian government came under pressure Monday to intervene in an increasingly dangerous confrontation between Japan's Antarctic whaling fleet and Greenpeace protest vessels. The calls came after the international environmental lobbying group alleged that the 129-metre Nisshin Maru factory ship deliberately rammed its 49-metre Arctic Sunrise. Greens leader Bob Brown, a member of Australia's upper house of parliament, urged Prime Minister John Howard to dispatch the navy to prevent any further clashes between the protesters and the whalers. 'The Japanese are not going to break international law if there is another government looking on,' Brown said. 'It's time John Howard got the gumption that this nation wants in our Antarctic waters - to monitor the Japanese whaling slaughter and their breach of international seafaring laws.' Australia has declared the Southern Ocean a whale sanctuary, but its claims are not supported by international law, and no attempt has yet been made to halt whaling in those waters. The Greenpeace ships Esperanza and Arctic Sunrise have been dogging the Nisshin Maru and other Japanese whaling vessels since December 21. Protesters in inflatable boats have run between whales and the whaling vessels to make harpooning difficult. Greenpeace alleged that on Sunday, the Nisshin Maru hit the Arctic Sunrise twice, bashing the bow and bending a mast. Protest organizer Shane Rattenbury said the incident would not deter Greenpeace. In response, Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research blamed Greenpeace for the incident. 'The Greenpeace vessel deliberately rammed the Japanese research vessel, the Nisshin Maru, in the Antarctic ... while it was attempting to transfer cargo,' the institute said in a statement. It called on Greenpeace protesters to 'stop at once their dangerous and criminal actions'. Greenpeace released video footage of the incident that it claimed shows the Nisshin Maru was the aggressor. Rattenbury said the Japanese so far had killed 70 minke whales in the hunt that began last month. Japan has said the hunt is for scientific purposes, but Greenpeace has said it is commercial in nature. Sydney - The Australian government came under pressure Monday to intervene in an increasingly dangerous confrontation between Japan's Antarctic whaling fleet and Greenpeace protest vessels. The calls came after the international environmental lobbying group alleged that the 129-metre Nisshin Maru factory ship deliberately rammed its 49-metre Arctic Sunrise. Greens leader Bob Brown, a member of Australia's upper house of parliament, urged Prime Minister John Howard to dispatch the navy to prevent any further clashes between the protesters and the whalers. 'The Japanese are not going to break international law if there is another government looking on,' Brown said. 'It's time John Howard got the gumption that this nation wants in our Antarctic waters - to monitor the Japanese whaling slaughter and their breach of international seafaring laws.' Australia has declared the Southern Ocean a whale sanctuary, but its claims are not supported by international law, and no attempt has yet been made to halt whaling in those waters. The Greenpeace ships Esperanza and Arctic Sunrise have been dogging the Nisshin Maru and other Japanese whaling vessels since December 21. Protesters in inflatable boats have run between whales and the whaling vessels to make harpooning difficult. Greenpeace alleged that on Sunday, the Nisshin Maru hit the Arctic Sunrise twice, bashing the bow and bending a mast. Protest organizer Shane Rattenbury said the incident would not deter Greenpeace. In response, Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research blamed Greenpeace for the incident. 'The Greenpeace vessel deliberately rammed the Japanese research vessel, the Nisshin Maru, in the Antarctic ... while it was attempting to transfer cargo,' the institute said in a statement. It called on Greenpeace protesters to 'stop at once their dangerous and criminal actions'. Greenpeace released video footage of the incident that it claimed shows the Nisshin Maru was the aggressor. Rattenbury said the Japanese so far had killed 70 minke whales in the hunt that began last month. Japan has said the hunt is for scientific purposes, but Greenpeace has said it is commercial in nature. © 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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