Ask Clinton to impose sanctions on Japan

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http://www.hsus.org/whatnew/whale091300.html

 

Next Step: Sanctions over Japanese Whaling

President Clinton, the ball's in your court.

September 13, 2000

 

He's been threatening to do it for weeks, and now he's made good

on his threat: Commerce Secretary Mineta has given President Clinton

the power to ban Japanese products until Japan stops hunting endangered

species of whales. Now it's up to President Clinton.

 

" I think it's crucial and really fabulous that this administration has

taken such a strong position now, " said HSUS Executive Vice

President Patricia Forkan. " Finally we're seeing some real fire in the

belly at the White House and we're thrilled. " Japan brought the threat

of economic sanctions on itself. It has been undermining the

International Whaling Commission for years, killing minke whales as

part of its " scientific whaling " program and then selling the meat,

but this year it decided to ignore endangered species laws and kill

endangered sperm and Bryde's whales. When the international

community protested, Japan thumbed its nose.

 

What Mineta has done is use a law called the Pelly Amendment,

which allows the President to ban products from a nation guilty of

undermining an international fisheries or wildlife laws. Forkan

says

that what will probably be banned is the mass of Japanese fish

products that stream into the United States each year. A ban on

these products, says Forkan, " will cost Japan untold millions. . . if

not billions. "

 

 

Now that he's been given the nod by the Commerce Secretary, President

Clinton could start the ban any minute. If he acts soon, he might be

able to stop Japan's November scientific hunt of 440 minke whales (also

considered endangered under international law). Forkan wants Clinton to

move quickly: " Bring on those embargoes right now. Tell Japan you mean

business. "

 

" That's where the American public and people around the world need to

get involved, " Forkan urges, " now that the Commerce Department has made

this important first step, it's up to all of us to convince president

Clinton that he has to take the strongest embargo measures possible. "

 

What You Can Do

 

Contact President Clinton and tell him that the international

community is watching the United States to see if it is serious about

protecting

whales. Tell him that you want him to ban Japanese fish products

immediately.

 

Contact Information

President Bill Clinton

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

Voice mail: 202-456-1414

Fax: 202-456-2461

E-mail via

http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/Mail/html/Mail_President.html

 

2000 The Humane Society of the United States. All rights

reserved.