Feature story - June 20, 2003
An International Conservation Committee is formed to protect whales and other marine life that depend on the ocean's fragile ecosystem. Hear from one of our campaigners who was there.
Dear Folks:
I just finished participating in a German action where we
displayed dead harbor porpoises in the courtyard of the building
where IWC is being held. The porpoises were meant to symbolize the
300,000 whales, dolphins and porpoises that die as bycatch every
year. And now that the Berlin Initiative has passed, IWC finally
has a mandate to work on issues like this.
So my job was to carry a porpoise on a stretcher and then hold
it in my arms for the cameras. It was very sad to hold it -- the
porpoise was so small and its little eyes were still open. I almost
cried.
Anyway, no one got arrested -- we only got expelled from the IWC
meeting and conference site. The police (polizei) were very nice --
several of them said they were Greenpeace members. They told us we
smelled very bad from the porpoises and I can still smell it even
after a pretty intense shower.
I feel very proud of that action, direct communication to the
IWC that the issues they are discussing are not just words in a
scientific report, they are a reality. The delegates could all see
what we were doing from the lobby where they were taking a coffee
break and several of them came outside to see the porpoises (but
none of the U.S. delegates, unfortunately).
Anyway, just wanted to share because it was a tremendous
experience reaffirmed to me how important our work is and how
relevant we still are on whales issues.
Best,
Natalie