Japan Dolphin Day: A Moment of Truth

[Guest guest]

Japan Dolphin Day: A moment of truth for Japanese dolphin lovers

 

By Ric O'Barry, One Voice-France

 

Every year from September through April some Japanese fishermen ---in some few

remote villages -- eradicate about 20,000 dolphins and other whales in the most

brutal way imaginable. This is the largest deliberate massacre of dolphins

anywhere in the world. The fishermen have said they kill the dolphins primarily

as a form of " pest control. " They say the dolphins eat too many fish and they

need to eradicate the competition.

 

If the fishermen didn't get a permit from Tokyo, they would have to stop the

killings immediately. The fisherman told us they would then switch to fishing

for lobster or something similar. One of the younger fishermen in Taiji said the

younger generation of fishermen don't really want to hunt dolphins any longer.

It's only the older guys who want to continue the practice.

 

We need to let the Japanese authorities know that these cruel and inhumane

dolphin massacres are unacceptable to the rest of the world. Therefore, our

coalition has initiated a world-wide protest to send a powerful message to the

Japanese government: STOP THE DOLPHIN SLAUGHTER.

 

The Japanese government and the fishermen say dolphin hunting is part of

Japanese culture. In reality, however, the majority of the Japanese population

doesn't know the dolphin slaughter exists. If they knew, they would help us stop

it. Our team has traveled to Japanese fishing villages several times to document

and expose the dolphin massacres to the Japanese people, and the fishermen have

done all they can to hide their bloody work from our cameras. They don't want

the Japanese people to know the truth. " It's none of their business, " are their

exact words.

 

Our Japanese colleagues tell us that pressure on the government from concerned

citizens can stop the dolphin slaughter. We believe this to be a good strategy

-- and a peaceful one, too. So why not give the Japanese decision-makers some

serious media pressure from outside and inside of Japan? The goal is to make

this the biggest global protest against the annual dolphin slaughter in history,

and we hope that everyone who is opposed to the dolphin slaughter will show up

for a peaceful demonstration on October 8th. This includes people in Japan. We

need your help in making the international day of protest successful. It's time

for all of the Japanese people who respect nature to stand up and take action.

There are many groups in Japan who say that they " love dolphins and want to

protect them. " THIS IS THEIR MOMENT OF TRUTH.

 

NOW is the time to abolish this cruel practice once and for all. If not now,

then WHEN?

 

Please note that this will be an all-inclusive event. In other words, the

protests will not take place under the umbrella of any one group.

 

To pull this off, we need TENS OF THOUSANDS of non-violent, peaceful protesters

in front of Japanese embassies around the world. We also need tens of thousands

of Japanese people to take a stand on this urgent issue. We suggest that

Japanese NGOs get organized and hold their own protests in the locations where

you will be heard by the Japanese media and, ultimately, the decision makers.

 

The event is not limited to animal protection groups, and we would like to add

some Japanese schools and civic groups to the list. Japanese children should be

educated about this issue and be given the opportunity to participate in the

global effort to stop the dolphin slaughter. What a great learning experience

for a child that would be, especially if they actually won as a result of their

efforts. The Japanese government and dolphin hunters expect environmental/animal

protection groups to protest the dolphin slaughter. They don't, however, expect

regular people to speak out. They especially don't expect Japanese people to

protest. This is why we are asking you to please contact your friends and

neighbors, local schools and civic clubs. Ask them to take a stand on this

urgent issue. Show up to protest the dolphin slaughter at 12 noon on October

8th.

 

More information: www.savetaijidolphins.org

 

LIST of PARTICIPANTS - Shouldn't your groups name be listed here?

 

*Action Against Poisoning ~ Den Haag

*Americas Whale Alliance ~ San Francisco

*Animal Defenders of Westchester ~ New York

*Animal Friends ~ Croatia

*Animalisti Italiani Onlus ~ Rome

*Animal Voices Radio, CIUT 89.5 FM ~ Toronto

*Anima Mundi ~ San Francisco

*Animals Voice.com ~ Seattle

*Animal Welfare Institute ~Washington DC

*Animanaturalis ~ Buenos Aires, Lima, Yucatan

*Bite Back ~ Brussels

*Blue Voice ~ San Francisco

*Born Free Foundation ~ London

*British Divers Marine Life Rescue ~ London

*Campaign Whale ~ London

*Captive Animals Protection Society ~ London

*Captive Dolphin Awareness Foundation ~ Huston

*Catastrophes ~ London

*Cetacean Defense ~ London

*Cetacean Society International ~ New York

*Comarino ~ Mexico City

*Committee for a Dolphinarium-Free Belgium ~ Brussels

*Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting ~ New York

*Dolphin Encountours ~ Mozambique

*Dolphin Project ~ Miami

*Dolphin Protection Coalition ~ Vancouver BC

*Delphis ~ Rome

*Diana Thater Studio ~ Los Angeles

*Earth Island Institute ~ San Francisco, Manila, Solomon Islands

*EcoTerra ~ Nairobi

*EDEV ~ Den Haag

*Environmental Investigative Agency ~ London

*Fundacion Altarriba ~ Barcelona

*GAIA ~ Brussels

*Georgia Animal Rights and Protection ~ Atlanta

*Green Beings Animation Studio ~ San Francisco

*Guardios dos Animais ~ Brasilia

*Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society ~ Hong Kong

*HSUS ~ Washington DC

*In Defense of Animals ~ San Francisco

*International Animal Rescue ~ London

*Irish Seal Sanctuary ~ Dublin

*Last Chance for Animals ~ Los Angeles

*Marine Connection ~ London

*Massachusetts Animal Rights Coalition ~ Boston

*Morigenos ~ Slovenia

*NYC Pigeon People ~ New York

*New York Whale and Dolphin Action League ~ New York

*NYC Wildlife Watch ~ New York

*Nomades des Oceans ~ Paris

*Ocean Defense International ~ San Francisco

*One Voice ~ Paris, Marseille, Strasburg, Miami

*Orca Network ~ Seattle

*Philippine Society for Animal Protection ~ Manila

*Rattle the Cage ~ Miami

*Re-Earth ~ Nassau

*Reseau-Cetaceas ~ Paris, Strasbourg

*Rio Rossellino Studio ~ Kaikoura, NZ

*RSPCA ~ London

*Sonoma People for Animal Rights ~ San Francisco

*Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ~ Vienna, Brussels, Paris, London, Den Haag,

Strasburg, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Honolulu, Miami, Portland, Los Angeles, New

York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC, Vancouver BC

*Sasha Farm ~ Detroit

*SHARK ~ Chicago

*Sea Flow ~ San Francisco

*Sea Vita ~ Caracas

*Sonic Cowboys ~ Miami

*SOS Grand Bleu ~ Marseille

*Thursdays Child ~ San Francisco

*United Action for Animals ~ New York

*WDCS ~ London

*Wellington Animal Rights Network ~ Wellington NZ

*Whale Workshop ~ London

*Wild Earth Foundation ~ Buenos Aires

*WSPA ~ London

*Zoo Check Canada ~ Toronto

 

" Eighty percent of success is showing up "

Woody Allen