auksinis_kardas
news-140313-2-1-131125-TW-OR-Crew-Shot-DSC739-1000w
Japan - A Nation Wallowing in Disgrace and Pettiness
After years of confrontations and controversy two things are now very clear. The first is that no one of intelligence believes anymore that Japan is, or has been engaged in scientific whaling and it is also clear that the Japanese argument of cultural necessity is just as bogus as their claim to scientific research.
The Japanese government intends to defy the International Court of Justice and they intend to return to the internationally established Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to kill whales.
Why? Because this is no longer about whaling. It is about defiance and the assertion of Japanese nationalism over world opinion. This is nothing new with Japan, in fact it is more reflective of Japanese culture than almost anything else.
The Japanese government through the Institute of Cetacean Research has waged war on Sea Shepherd both on the high seas and in the courts. They have managed to isolate myself and Sea Shepherd USA through the U.S. Courts. But that is all they have achieved and what they don’t understand is that Sea Shepherd is not an organization and it is not me. Sea Shepherd is a movement.
Sea Shepherd activists have nothing to lose and everything to gain for the simple fact that Sea Shepherd volunteers are not saving whales in return for a pay cheque. They are saving whales because whales are whales and have a right to live and the integrity of what is established as a sanctuary must be defended. The whales are the clients of Sea Shepherd Global.
So where are we now? For over a decade Japan has had the satisfaction of accusing Sea Shepherd of being outlaws, pirates, and eco-terrorists.
They can do so no more. The International Court of Justice has ruled that the Japanese whalers are the outlaws. They are the eco-terrorists and they have illegally invaded an internationally established sanctuary for whales for the purpose of unlawfully slaughtering protected and endangered species and in so doing they have lied to the entire world about their motivations.
Sea Shepherd has saved thousands of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary through the implementation of daring campaigns incorporating passionate and courageous crew coupled with imaginative non-violent tactics and guided by a strategy based on working within the boundaries of international law.
Japan has shamefully abused their authority as a government and even more shamefully they have lowered themselves to recognizing that Sea Shepherd as a non-governmental organization is a force that they are both concerned with and fear.
When they return in 2015 they have stated they will develop tactics to counter Sea Shepherd tactics. But how can they counter a crew that are willing to die for the defense of the Sanctuary? Will they escalate their already dangerous tactics? Do they think that killing Sea Shepherd crew will win them sympathy for their on-going illegal activities? Do they expect their threats to deter Sea Shepherd volunteers?
The Japanese whalers have the advantage of being backed by a government that will justify whatever they do but Sea Shepherd volunteers have an even greater advantage and that is the resolve to stand firm in the Sanctuary, no matter what the consequences.
The whalers have money, political power and ruthlessness on their side. Sea Shepherd has passion, courage and imagination on our side and now we have one more advantage and that is a verdict from the ICJ that our opposition are criminals – not us.
Captain Paul Watson
news-140313-2-1-131125-TW-OR-Crew-Shot-DSC739-1000w
Japan - A Nation Wallowing in Disgrace and Pettiness
After years of confrontations and controversy two things are now very clear. The first is that no one of intelligence believes anymore that Japan is, or has been engaged in scientific whaling and it is also clear that the Japanese argument of cultural necessity is just as bogus as their claim to scientific research.
The Japanese government intends to defy the International Court of Justice and they intend to return to the internationally established Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to kill whales.
Why? Because this is no longer about whaling. It is about defiance and the assertion of Japanese nationalism over world opinion. This is nothing new with Japan, in fact it is more reflective of Japanese culture than almost anything else.
The Japanese government through the Institute of Cetacean Research has waged war on Sea Shepherd both on the high seas and in the courts. They have managed to isolate myself and Sea Shepherd USA through the U.S. Courts. But that is all they have achieved and what they don’t understand is that Sea Shepherd is not an organization and it is not me. Sea Shepherd is a movement.
Sea Shepherd activists have nothing to lose and everything to gain for the simple fact that Sea Shepherd volunteers are not saving whales in return for a pay cheque. They are saving whales because whales are whales and have a right to live and the integrity of what is established as a sanctuary must be defended. The whales are the clients of Sea Shepherd Global.
So where are we now? For over a decade Japan has had the satisfaction of accusing Sea Shepherd of being outlaws, pirates, and eco-terrorists.
They can do so no more. The International Court of Justice has ruled that the Japanese whalers are the outlaws. They are the eco-terrorists and they have illegally invaded an internationally established sanctuary for whales for the purpose of unlawfully slaughtering protected and endangered species and in so doing they have lied to the entire world about their motivations.
Sea Shepherd has saved thousands of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary through the implementation of daring campaigns incorporating passionate and courageous crew coupled with imaginative non-violent tactics and guided by a strategy based on working within the boundaries of international law.
Japan has shamefully abused their authority as a government and even more shamefully they have lowered themselves to recognizing that Sea Shepherd as a non-governmental organization is a force that they are both concerned with and fear.
When they return in 2015 they have stated they will develop tactics to counter Sea Shepherd tactics. But how can they counter a crew that are willing to die for the defense of the Sanctuary? Will they escalate their already dangerous tactics? Do they think that killing Sea Shepherd crew will win them sympathy for their on-going illegal activities? Do they expect their threats to deter Sea Shepherd volunteers?
The Japanese whalers have the advantage of being backed by a government that will justify whatever they do but Sea Shepherd volunteers have an even greater advantage and that is the resolve to stand firm in the Sanctuary, no matter what the consequences.
The whalers have money, political power and ruthlessness on their side. Sea Shepherd has passion, courage and imagination on our side and now we have one more advantage and that is a verdict from the ICJ that our opposition are criminals – not us.
Captain Paul Watson