Posted on 02/12/2007 7:22:51 AM PST by dead
The crew of a Japanese whaling ship issued a distress call today and labelled activists "eco-terrorists" following collisions in Antarctica's icy waters today.
Japanese authorities have blamed the dramatic incident on activists with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, but the group has said the whaling vessel, Kaiko Maru, was at fault.
The Rescue Coordination Centre of New Zealand this afternoon said the Kaiko Maru had issued a distress call, saying it had collided with two ships crewed by Sea Shepherd activists.
The centre later said the Kaiko Maru was no longer in distress, did not require any assistance and was able to continue under its own power.
Captain Paul Watson with his ship Farley Mowat.
Photo: Angela Wylie
Sea Shepherd leader, Captain Paul Watson, said there was only one collision - involving the group's protest ship, the Robert Hunter - and the Kaiko Maru.
Watson blamed the incident on the whaling vessel, saying it had "backed up and hit" the Robert Hunter, which had earlier tried to force the Japanese ship into part of the sea heavy with ice.
The action was taken after the whaling ship was seen bearing down on a pod of whales, Watson said.
"At one point the Kaiko Maru turned to starboard and struck the Robert Hunter," the Sea Shepherd group said in a statement.
"The Kaiko Maru has issued a distress signal. We have acknowledged this distress signal but they refuse to say what distress they are in."
Watson said the collision had torn a hole about 30cm in diameter in the hull of the Robert Hunter, but it was not large enough to sink it.
In a statement tonight, Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) accused Sea Shepherd protesters of using pirate-like tactics.
"Eco-terrorist group Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has rammed and damaged one of the Japanese research fleet," the statement said.
"Afterwards, both the Robert Hunter and the Farley Mowat came to the either side of the Kaiko Maru, stopping her from continuing. This was done in the same manner employed by pirates.
"Its propeller (the Kaiko Maru's) has been damaged by them."
Sea Shepherd activists have been facing off against the whalers north of the Balleny Islands, west of the Ross Sea, trying to stop Japan's controversial annual whale hunt.
Last week, the rival groups called a temporary truce as the whaling ships joined in the search for two protesters who became lost while trying to foul the propeller of one of the Japanese vessels.
The pair, including Australian Karl Neilsen, were found safe about seven hours later, and hostilities quickly resumed.
International director of Sea Shepherd Jonny Vasic was aboard the Robert Hunter when today's collision occurred.
"It was a loud noise - a big bang. I actually shuddered a bit," Vasic said.
"The ships collided two times, once side by side, and once when they rammed into us.
"I haven't inspected it yet, but they did some damage to our hull."
Vasic said the damage would ``absolutely not'' stop protesters' activities.
"We are here to keep those guys out of the whale sanctuary. We are not damaged beyond repair. We are still seaworthy," Vasic said.
Another environment group in the Antarctic waters, Greenpeace, condemned the clash.
Karli Thomas, the expedition leader on Greenpeace vessel, the Esperanza, said the focus should be on saving whales, not damaging ships.
"We completely condemn any violent action by anyone. Potentially endangering lives in the middle of the Southern Ocean is unacceptable," Thomas said.
The Esperanza, which has been searching for the Japanese whaling fleet, is headed directly towards the co-ordinates given in the distress call.
Earlier today captain Watson said today the Farley Mowat was almost out of fuel and he was considering giving the Japanese whaling ship, the Nisshin Maru, a "steel enema" by ramming it.
Watson said his boat was now seen as a pirate vessel, and he would rather lose it in defence of whales than to bureaucrats.
Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace vessels have run campaigns of interference in recent years aimed at frustrating Japan's whale hunt.
Japan continues to claim its hunt is for scientific purposes but admits whale meat from the catch ends up on restaurant tables.
Australia, New Zealand and other countries have lobbied at the International Whaling Commission to end the hunt.
Australia's Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull tonight said that while Australia remained opposed to whaling, Sea Shepherd activists should refrain from dangerous action.
"We again call on Sea Shepard to conduct their operations in a safe and peaceful manner," he said in a statement.
"The type of action they are now proposing - such as ramming vessels - could result in a tragedy."
AAP
Glad you included the pic or I wouldn't have known what you were talking about. Quite frankly, I would prefer a Glock for the close in work and one of those long barreled revolvers with a scope for the "deck to eco-terrorist" work.
The pair, including Australian Karl Neilsen, were found safe about seven hours later, and hostilities quickly resumed. <> In the fairy tale world the peace and love left puts out, the higher purpose of the joint resuce would have been enough for the two sides to at least temporarily suspend hostilities.
But after the peaceniks are found, they back to trying to sink the Japanese ship.
Funny how these white European racists always pick on ships where the crews are people of color.
Yes, I saw one of those at a gun show this past weekend. A bit more than my wallet was prepared to pay though...
If I was the captain of the whaling vessel, I WOULD SHOOT TO KILL! This was/is a life threatening hostile act made against myself and crew.
IIRC, the "whale research" fleet consists of a fairly large processing ship and two smaller whale chasers. Unarmed - except for the harpoon guns, of course.
By acting in this manner, Sea Shepard is fulfilling the legal requirements for the ship and crew to be declared pirates. Vessel seized and crew arrested.
Also provides the pretext for the JMSDF to send armed patrol boats to escort NEXT year's "whale research" fleet voyage. Too late for this year as it would take way too long (weeks to months) to get the ships there from Japan. This also assumes the Japanese grow a spine in the meantime.
IMHO, as long as it is just repairable damage, I think the Japanese government will just send money and avoid the negative PR associated with shooting up a Sea Shepard ship. However, if a Japanese ship is sunk or Japanese citizens are injured or killed, that's a different story.
"Silly, dangerous hippies."
a/k/a: mile-wide, inch-deep "intellectuals".
In general, the Left does not ask the question, "What will happen next?" when formulating social policy. Not thinking through the long-range consequences of their positions is liberalism's tragic flaw. Take almost any position that distinguishes the Left: ..." Continue reading here: http://tinyurl.com/2zampr ~ Dennis Prager Tuesday, February 6, 2007 Liberals Don't Ask "What Happens Next?"
*
The Reckless Mind: Intellectuals in Politics by Mark Lilla
http://www.amazon.com/Reckless-Mind-Intellectuals-Politics/dp/1590170717
Book Description:
European history of the past century is full of examples of philosophers, writers, and jurists who, whether they lived in democratic, communist, or fascist societies, supported and defended totalitarian principles and horrific regimes. But how can intellectuals, who should be alert to the evils of tyranny, betray the ideals of freedom and independent inquiry? How can they take positions that, implicitly or not, endorse oppression and human suffering on a vast scale?
In profiles of Martin Heidegger, Carl Schmitt, Walter Benjamin, Alexandre Kojeve, Michel Foucault, and Jacques Derrida, Mark Lilla demonstrates how these thinkers were so deluded by the ideologies and convulsions of their times that they closed their eyes to authoritarianism, brutality, and state terror. He shows how intellectuals who fail to master their passions can be driven into a political sphere they scarcely understand, with momentous results for our intellectual and political lives.
*
Certain neurotic themes are dominant in the radical liberal mind’s perceptions of the world. All of them portray the citizen as a suffering child who is victimized, helpless and in need of rescue. All are evident in various liberal platforms. They represent the liberal mind’s transference of childhood dynamics into the world of adult relationships. As expressed in his most passionate political pronouncements, the radical liberal mind believes that: .." [snip] Continue reading here: http://tinyurl.com/2yyqhp Radical Liberal Themes By Lyle H. Rossiter, Jr, MD
Screw that, sounds like the Japanese Navy should have been nearby to sink these bastards.
So far as I know, Japan does not have an exemption from commercial whaling, but Japan has "scientific" expeditions, which are NOT banned. Japan sends its boats down there, kills the whales, makes a little show of checking the stomach contents of the whale for "science," and then sells the meat to Japanese restaurants.
I might be wrong about Japan having an exemption, but so far as I know, they get around the ban by calling its whaling expeditions "scientific."
If that is a torpedo, I agree.
Unless these morons accidentally caused a collision, I assume legal users of the sea are entitled to protect themselves.
.50BMG semi-auto.
Too slow.
Or worse yet....
Sounds like the protesters were literally screwed.
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