Whaling One Step Closer

Japan have finally managed to get a majority in the International Whaling Commission (IWC). They couldn't use that majority (of 1) for anything more than a symbolic declaration that the moratorium has gone passed its use-by date, but the fact that they could get a 50%-plus-1 majority in favour of commercial whaling should be a huge wake-up call.

source

Whalers win one

Japan has been accused of using development aid money in the 3rd world to buy votes for years now. First the new nations have to join the IWC, then they have to vote for Japan. Last year they came close but a couple of nations didn't turn up.

This year one of the new members is Cambodia. A Least Developed Country with no blue-water fleet (either civilian or military) that has never hunted whales in its history because there are none in its territory. But it does have one of the world's rarest dolphin species, the Irrawaddy freshwater dolphin, which it is doing jack to protect.

Why are nations such as Cambodia, St Kitts etc even allowed to join the IWC in the first place.

The day before this all kicked off Greenpeace were trying to tell us about it, but no-one seemed to be listening.

But protestors seemed to have one small win.

Guatemalans win, Japan loses

When you can't beat 'em, why not beat 'em?

St Kitts showed why an island is such a good place to host a contentious meeting, immigration laws!

10 arrested for protest

from the source:

Police indicated that nine of the 10 might be charged on immigration offences, while Mr Townsley was detained for obstruction.

St Kitts get bettter and better. First they call for an end to the commercial whaling ban, then they ask the IWC to pay for the meeting.

...St Kitts and Nevis requesting additional funds of $742,000 (£386,000) from the IWC Secretariat for hosting the meeting.

It was a controversial request because the host government is supposed to bear most of the cost - and with delegates split 30-30, the request fell.

St Kitts and Nevis said that $250,000 (£136,000) of its costs were allocated for security.

What, were they expecting the "Battle of Seattle" to roll into town?

This makes me soooo damn angry that I could chew nails. "Scientific" whaling my left buttock! The Norweigans have been flouting the ban for years, and the Japanese have been looking to start commercial whaling for decades. The ironic thing is that there is no demand for whalemeat any more in Japan! Young Japanese people won't eat the stuff and support the ban. So even if the Japanese do bring it back, their own position is already being undermined - by their own kids.