Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Whaling Activists Held Hostage

In the Antarctic Ocean yesterday two Sea Shepherd activists boarded a Japanese whaling ship. They were there to inform the Japanese their whaling was illegal and to demand the ships left the hunting grounds.

The Japanese crew responded by seizing the activists and locking them up. Sea Shepherd claims the pair were first lashed to the ship's mast for two hours before being taken below.

Australia, which claims jurisdiction over these waters, has contacted Japan demanding that the activists be released and, as of yesterday, it seemed they would be returned to their own ship.

Now, it turns out, the Sea Shepherd crewmembers are being held hostage. Captain Paul Watson told Reuters that the Japanese have said they won't release the activists until the get Watson's undertaking not to use his ship against them (ramming) and to keep the Sea Shepherd vessel at least 10 nautical miles distant at all times.

3 comments:

Canajun said...

I'm certainly not a supporter of Japanese whaling or many of the other fishing practices of European, Asian and North American fleets, but these Sea Shepherd guys have operated oputside the law for so many years I just don't care what happens to them anymore. And if truth be known, this is probably EXACTLY what they wanted to happen; to become martyrs to the cause but without any loud bangs to make things messy.

The Mound of Sound said...

I'm sure you're right, canajun. Watson always has been a grandstander but, then again, without his bunch the Japanese would be merrily slaughtering whales right now. Annoying as the guy is, he's the only one actually intervening, despite the efforts of Greenpeace.

Anonymous said...

If you think the Japenese don't give a darn about whale preservation or any other sea living creature, you would be correct. While living in South Korea, some Koreans brought to my attention a video where the Japanese were taking porpoise off their ships. The porpoise were tied to the back of a truck and dragged down the road to the cannery alive with their flesh flying all over the place...that was 2006. They did exactly the same thing to the Chinese people during their invasion as well as cruelty to the Korean people beyond belief. Then they have the gaul to re-write history and continue to teach it to their people. They need to be told.