Guest guest Posted February 5, 2000 Report Share Posted February 5, 2000 > > BreachEnv > Date: > Mon, 31 Jan 2000 13:50:25 EST > Subject: > BMP GETS WHALES ON U.N. FORUM AGENDA > To: > undisclosed-recipients:; > > > BMP GETS WHALES ON U.N. FORUM AGENDA > > --- 'Peoples Resolution' Could Be The Turning Point > --- > > After years of effort and negotiation, Breach Marine > Protection has finally got the great whales onto the > United Nations Millennium Forum agenda. > The breakthrough came after the UN decided to hold a > Millennium Assembly in an effort to forge better links > with its citizens. > > A proposal prepared by BMP to replace the current 1946 > International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling > (ICRW) - with a Convention based on the Conservation > of whales and other cetaceans - has been commended to > the UN Secretary-general, Kofi Annan. BMP believes > that the massive world-wide support for the now four > year old 'People's Resolution on the Abolition of > Inhumane Commercial Slaughter of Whales' was a > deciding factor. > For years, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) > has declined to debate the 'People's Resolution', > little wonder as Secretary Ray Gambell has > consistently refused to place the 'Resolution' on IWC > meetings schedule. > > " We are absolutely delighted that our Report has been > recommended to the UN. " said David Smith, BMP's > Campaigns Director and joint co-ordinator (with > Andy Scollick) of the 'People's Resolution' from its > inception. " So much hard work from many quarters has > gone in to formulating both this Report and > maintaining the 'People's Resolution'. This is great > news for millions of people around the globe. " > > BMP's submissions are summarised in the UN Link 2000 > report 'A UN for the 21st Century' prepared by the > UNGA-Link UK, and are placed alongside > this Project's recommendations on Human Rights, the > Elimination of Poverty, Peace, Security and > Disarmament and Environmental Sustainability. The > summary > states: > > " A fundamental environmental fact is that human beings > share the planet with other living creatures and that > life exists in a web of mutual dependency. We are > outraged by " man's inhumanity to man " , and some of us > no less so by the inhumane slaughter of whales for > commercial profit. Over ten million people > from forty different countries signed the People's > Resolution to abolish this slaughter of defenceless > creatures in the natural world. > > Recommendation: The United Nations should heed the > voices of those millions of people and promote > an International Convention for the Conservation of > Whales. " > > " If Mr. Annan accepts our proposals we have the > concerned international community to thank; any > victory for the whales will be their victory. " said > Smith. " To all the individuals and organisations who > have signed-on to the 'People's Resolution', BMP > extents its heartfelt appreciation. This could be > one hell of a blow for democracy. " he added. > > The International Whaling Commission (IWC) currently > operates on the 1946 International Convention on the > Regulation of Whales (ICRW). Note the word 'Re > gulation'. This convention was formulated in the harsh > days of post-second world war. Because the populations > of all whale species had been so depleted by the greed > of whalers - some to the point of extinction - > regulation on the numbers slaughtered, the type of > killing gear used etc. was vital. > > But the intent of the ICRW was to regulate whale > 'stocks', so that more whales can be killed later. > That is why the current world-wide Moratorium on > whaling is just that, a moratorium (temporary halt), > not a permanent ban. > > Under the 'rules' of the ICRW, the IWC can lift the > Moratorium whenever it pleases. That Convention is now > 54 years old, its 'rules' are not for the our > world. Can you imagine a 21st Century disarmament > convention being based on 1946 weaponry? It is also > scientifically ignorant, e.g. in places the > Convention refers to whales as 'fish'! The ICRW's > interpretation body, the IWC, is riven with politics > and self interest, consequently its rulings > have little to do with whales. > > The Breach Marine Protection Report calls on the > United Nations to replace the ICRW with an ICCC, an > International Convention on the Conservation > of Cetaceans. > > contact: > > Breach Marine Protection > 3, St John's Street > Goole > East Yorkshire > DN14 5QL > > Tele./Fax: +44 (0)1405 769375 > Mobile: 0973 898282 > e-mail: BreachEnv > > 'People's Resolution on the Abolition of Inhumane > Commercial Slaughter of Whales': > http://www.Breach.org (please note our new website > location). > > United Nations: http://www.un.org > > International Whaling Commission: > http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/iwcoffice/ > > > > > Talk to your friends online with Messenger. > http://im. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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