ANTI WHALING PROTESTERS DELIVER LETTER TO JAPANESE VICE CONSUL
To coincided with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visit to Australia to attend APEC
Whale conservationists Dean Jefferys and Howie Cooke delivered a letter to Japans Vice Consul Mr Tamura on Monday the 3rd of September in Brisbane with a request to pass it on to the Prime Minister of Japan. The protest coincided with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visit to Australia to attend the APEC meetings in Sydney. Dean Jefferys and Howie Cooke talked to Mr Tamura in the foyer of the Japanese consulate for 10 minutes and expressed their concerns about Japans plan to kill 50 humpback whales this December when they return to the Antarctic to kill their self allocated quota of over 1000 whales for so called 'scientific' whaling which includes the endangered and globally protected Fin whale. Mr Tamura gave his word that he would make sure the Japanese PM would see our letter.
Howie Cooke from “Surfers for Cetaceans” said "Surfers, diver and sailors experience the wonderment of the ocean and know the joy of being welcomed by the marine mammals. We cannot stand by and watch Japan slaughter thousands of innocent whales and dolphins from the Japanese waters and the north pacific all the way into the pristine wilderness of the Antarctic southern ocean whale sanctuary. Japan must hear and respect world opinion and give up their untenable bloody and cruel acts of genocide, killing and capture, against the whale and dolphin nations. Japan still has a wonderful opportunity to become a major whale watch destination and the dalls porpoise is a beautiful symbol of Japans marine environment. We will continue to defend the right to freedom and peace of whales and dolphins, our fellow surfers and joyful friends of the ocean”.
Dean Jefferys from the Byron Whale Action group who is about to embark on a month long whale conservation voyage, sailing with possibly the last safe Humpback migration from Hervey Bay to Sydney said "I cant understand why Japan is prepared to disgrace itself internationally to satisfy the desires of a few power hungry old whale killers and eaters. Whale loving Australians are calling on the Prime Minister of Japan to show some courage and compassion and stop his countries cruel and inhuman killing of whales and dolphins. We are also urging our own Prime Minister, John Howard to convince Prime Minister Shinzo Abe while they are talking at this weeks APEC meetings, that if he wants good relations and feelings between Australia and Japan then all whaling must end immediately"
Port Stevens Whale watch operator and Secretary of Whale and Dolphin Watch Australia Inc. (WADWA) Frank Future, who recently attended the International Whaling Commission in Alaska said "By deliberately targeting a population of whales that are at the core of Australia’s $300 million whale tourism industry, Japan is almost certainly retaliating against Australia and the anti-whaling members of the IWC for its refusal to allow coastal whaling in their own waters. It is an act of hostility that makes a mockery of last years friendship agreements between Australia and Japan. I feel these cruel and ruthless acts against our whale friends may sadly revive old war wound memories of the Japanese and be very counter productive for our bilateral relationship"
For more info and interviews phone Dean Jefferys Frank Future 0412689798 www.imaginecruises.com.au
Following is a copy of the letter we gave to the Japans Consular General in Brisbane with instructions to pass it on to the Prime Minister of Japan
Dear Prime Minister of Japan
We, people of Australia are united in wanting the PM of Japan Shinzo Abe to know of our absolute objection in the strongest possible terms to the continued slaughter of whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary and in the North Pacific and the killing and capture of dolphins in Japanese waters.
We are calling on the PM Japan to end all of Japans whaling including the abhorrent proposal to kill 50 Australian and Tongan Humpback whales and to stop the annual capture and slaughter of around 20,000 dolphins which take place in Japanese fishing towns such as Taiji.
We remind the PM that in allowing whaling in Southern Oceans Whale Sanctuary whether 'scientific' or commercial, Japan is violating the Antarctic Treaty System.
As we have just seen in Iceland, with their announcement that no more whale killing quotas will be issued, whaling WILL eventually be stopped world wide, so Japan might as well stop now before the worlds public opinion of Japan deteriorates further.
In killing pregnant Minkes, Endangered and globally protected Fins and threatening Endangered and globally protected Humpback whales Japan is in breach of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
Japans whaling is a direct threat to the $300 million whale watch industry of Australia and equally a direct threat to the fragile Tonga whale watch economy.
We would like to inform you that around 50 coastal towns/communities/councils have adopted specific identified and named whales through a national campaign called the Humpback Icon Project. We will be monitoring their safe migration and will not accept the cold blooded slaughter of our warm blooded kin.
We urge the PM to initiate great change in his countries attitude to cetaceans, to abolish whaling and dolphin slaughter and to embrace the opportunity to become another whale watch nation proud of its coastal marine mammals and working with the International community to protect the whales and dolphins of the world, our wonderful friends in the sea.
On behalf of all caring Australians
Dean Jefferys, Byron Whale Action Group
Howie Cooke, Surfers for Cetaceans
Frank Future, Whale and Dolphin Watch Australia Inc
