In a press release issued today, the ICR made the
extraordinarystatement that "an analysis of the statistics shows
that the time of deathincreases drastically when Greenpeace gets
between the harpoon and thewhale."
"The ICR continues to peddle one lie after another in its
desperate bidto defend the killing of whales in the Southern Ocean
Whale Sanctuary.From the bogus notion that the hunt is for
scientific purposed and hasthe support of the International Whaling
Commission(1), through claimsthat Greenpeace rammed their massive
Nisshin Maru factory ship and nowto finally trying to blame
Greenpeace for the suffering ofwhales," said Shane Rattenbury
Greenpeace Expedition Leaderonboard the Arctic Sunrise. "The
reality isthat the only way to end the brutal killing of whales in
the Southern OceanWhale Sanctuary is to stop firing grenade tipped
harpoons into them."
As soon as a whale is hit by a harpoon Greenpeace activists
immediatelyback off to allow the kill to be finished, they then try
to hamper thetransferof the dead whale from the catcher to the
Nisshin Maru, where after beingweighed and measured the whales are
chopped and boxed for market.
Today, from its helicopter, Greenpeace captured on video the
slow andagonising death of a minke whale, there were no Greenpeace
activistsblocking the line of sight of the harpoon, demonstrating
that the prolongedsuffering of whales is a routine part of the
so-called scientific hunt.(2)
The ICR further accused Greenpeace of hampering the non-lethal
elementof their hunt in the Whale Sanctuary. "Frankly, when a ship
with anarmoury of grenade tipped harpoons bears down on a whale,
Greenpeaceprefers to give the whale the benefit of the doubt by
acting to defendit from possible attack than assume the so-called
scientist is going tofire a biopsy dart for a change," said
Rattenbury.
Greenpeace would be happy to put its inflatables and vessels at
the disposalof the whaling fleet to assist in the non-lethal
research programme inreturn for a promise that no more whales will
be killed in the SouthernOcean Whale Sanctuary.
For more information on the campaign to defend the whales go
to:oceans.greenpeace.org
Other contacts: Shane Rattenbury, Greenpeace Southern Ocean Expedition Leader, on board the Arctic Sunrise, + 873324453810 Yuko Hirono of Greenpeace Japan, on board the Esperanza, +873324469010 Mike Townsley, Greenpeace International Communications, +31621296918
VVPR info: Video available from Greenpeace International Video Desk +31653504721Photos available from Greenpeace International Photo Desk +31653819121 or +31653819255
Notes: The campaign to defend the whales in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is the first stage in an ambitious new Greenpeace campaign 'Defending our Oceans'. Over the next year the Esperanza will be Greenpeace's main platform in arguing for a network of marine reserves or parks covering 40% of the world's oceans: places that will be protected from industrial exploitation and destruction, from industrial fishing and hunting, and places from which our oceans can begin the process of repair and recovery.Seventy crew and campaigners from 19 countries are on board the two Greenpeace vessels: UK, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Ghana, Russia, Norway, Denmark, USA, France, Italy, Japan, Ireland, India, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Austria and Argentina.
Exp. contact date: 2006-02-12 00:00:00