Posted on 01/01/2006 5:41:10 PM PST by Dundee
Japanese warship 'to guard whalers'
A STANDOFF between Japanese whalers and environmentalists has escalated, with a conservation group claiming the Japanese Government has sent a warship to Antarctic waters to protect its fleet.
The Washington-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said it had received a tip-off that a Japanese naval ship had been sent to the region to defend its whalers from protesters.
The group said it was concerned the warship would try to seize its vessel and those of the two Greenpeace crews shadowing the whaling fleet through the Southern Ocean.
"The Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research has made an open accusation of piracy and eco-terrorism against the Greenpeace Foundation and Sea Shepherd," it said.
"If Japan adopts the false accusations that acts of piracy have been committed against their ships, they can use the accusations as an excuse under international law to attack and seize the ships they accuse."
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's vessel joined two Greenpeace boats in the Antarctic waters last week to try to stop the whale hunt.
Both organisations have been accused of deliberately ramming the whaling boats -- an accusation they strongly deny.
Greenpeace spokesman aboard the Arctic Sunrise Shane Rattenbury said he had been unable to confirm rumours over the weekend, which is a Japanese national holiday, that the warship was on its way.
But he said the Japanese whaling fleet was under huge pressure due to the presence of the three protest boats, which were beaming rare images of a whale hunt to the world.
"I think it would certainly raise the stakes, because not only would it be a very expensive exercise but sending a military vessel into Antarctic treaty waters would make a very serious diplomatic incident," Mr Rattenbury said.
Environment Minister Ian Campbell would not comment on the rumour or what action the Australian Government might take if it proved true.
But on Friday he accused the Sea Shepherd crew of acting in a "warlike manner" by allegedly trying to damage one of the Japanese whaling vessels.
Senator Campbell referred an email from the captain of one protesting ship to the Minister for Justice and Customs. The federal Government has refused requests to send its own naval vessel to the Southern Ocean to oversee the whaling fleet, which is hunting in what Australia declares to be its Antarctic territory and a whale sanctuary.
Japan does not recognise Australia's claim to the waters.
Japan's constitution prevents it from sending an offensive force overseas. But in 1992, the Tokyo government passed a special law to allow a Japanese naval vessel to accompany the first shipment of plutonium oxide from France to Japan.
Greenpeace opposed the shipment of plutonium and sent one of its own vessels, the Solo, to shadow the load.
During the first leg of the voyage, the Japanese naval vessel Shikishima was accused of ramming the Greenpeace boat.
The Japanese Fisheries Agency maintains its whaling program is legal research.
> they have a history of destroying unarmed ships (not that I didn't agree with them).
You mean, like sinking the "Rainbow Warrior" in Auckland harbor, back in July 1985, killing an innocent photographer in the process. You agree with that???
That's terrorism.
well since your from nz I could definitely see you getting pissed (if they sent a destroyer into the gulf I would be pissed myself) I just really really dislike green peace.
I think they eat them, not sure though.
Ah, reminds me of a quote "let them eat cake"
Their heart was in the right place. But their methods were wrong.
> I just really really dislike green peace.
Personally I have no time for Greenpeace, either. It does P*ss me off royally that they are the only ones who seem to have the balls to stand up to Japan. Them and the Sea Shepherd Society.
I would have hoped for a resolute Naval response. A frigate from somewhere(?) could put a stop to this whaling nonsense, surely.
(We have two, dunno what they're doing that's more important than this.)
I think we already figured that part out.
> Their heart was in the right place. But their methods were wrong.
France behaved in an Evil fashion throughout.
The Rainbow Warrior was, at the time, en-route to Mururoa Atoll, to protest extended Atomic Bomb testing. The French, who think they own Mururoa Atoll and much of the South Pacific, took exception.
They sent two spies to New Zealand to sink the Rainbow Warrior, and in the process they murdered a photographer on board.
Their spies were quickly caught (they were French, after all, no match for the NZ Police) and summarily convicted and sentenced to a decent lag by the New Zealand Government.
France took exception and threatened New Zealand with severe economic sanctions if their spies were not immediately released to French custody. New Zealand could not afford such sanctions, so reluctantly the spies were released to the French.
They spent a few months in French custody, and were then released and decorated -- I believe with the Legion d'Honneur.
As hard as I look, I fail to see anywhere in this tale where France acted honorably, or even in an acceptable, responsible manner.
We dislike France more than you Yanks do.
you and the aussies should team up and send a flotilla to assert your territorial rights.
Most of us dislike Greenpeace more than we dislike France.
In a fight between France and Greenpeace we are at best ambivilant about the outcome.
But I think killing some poor sot was over the top.
Hmmmm......
Sink the witnesses?
(works for me)
> you and the aussies should team up and send a flotilla to assert your territorial rights.
We do our best with what we have available: but we're a country with a population the size of metropolitan Chicago. Our resources go only so far: we do peacekeeping in Bougainville and East Timor, we've got soldiers in Afghanisan, and we patrol a huge part of the South Pacific for piracy, drug running, illegal immigrants, search & rescue, illegal fishing, smuggling...
We catch as many bad guys as we can.
Misfire? I don't think I was the author of the 'flotilla' comment.
> Misfire? I don't think I was the author of the 'flotilla' comment.
Misfire it is. With apologies.
You really need to take your meds. Greenpeace is a terrorist organization that has terrorized businesses and countries for years. Japan supports us in the war on terror. I say let them kill some whales. I wish I could be on a whaling boat myself, pissing off Greenpeace terrorists.
France took exception and threatened New Zealand with severe economic sanctions if their spies were not immediately released to French custody. New Zealand could not afford such sanctions, so reluctantly the spies were released to the French.
I see New Zealand didn't have any balls even back then.
> You really need to take your meds.
I think you're rather rude.
Will you give up beef, since the slaughter of cows offends a WHOLE lot of folks in India?
How about giving up ALL meat/fish/poultry - since killing for any purpose offends lots of well meaning folks in the world.
Until someone can show that Japan is in violation of any International Law to which they affixed their signature -- then they should continue fishing.
And - if Greenpeace or any other self appointed "Ocean Monitor" interferes or "attacks" the fishing boats in any threatening manner - I would celebrate their sinking.
The world should operate in compliance with the Law and International Agreements -- not personal preferences or racial bias.
I find it offensive - that the same folks who raise hell and mourn the death of Whales -- are usually the same folks that aren't horribly uneasy about the death of thousands by the hands of Islamanazis or the murder of millions of unborn by the "pro-death" abortionists.
Semper Fi
> Too bad Greenpeace was able to salvage the Rainbow Warrior. I hate those eco-terrorists.
The Rainbow Warrior was not salvaged. It was hauled out to sea and sunk as an artificial reef and diving attraction.
> I see New Zealand didn't have any balls even back then.
I'll take that as an insult.
How can Australia and New Zealand enforce a non-ignistic right?
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