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I don't see any source quoted from the Makah to answer the accusations in

this piece. I see only one side presented. We aren't told exactly why they

would ask for federal money, and therein lies the rub. The reason of course

lies in the background we're also not given here. It's for enforcement of

Makah treaty rights, because ecoterrorists and vandals have turned violent

against the Makah and the exercise of their treaty rights on the high seas.

There can be no other reason for needing the federal government to spend

such sums for " enforcement " . Interestingly, there is no credible source

for the claim that the Makah ever planned commercial whaling. Which is

ridiculous if you're familiar with this ongoing tale, because their quota

is only four whales a year, and they haven't even been exercising that

treaty right for 80 years. The issue comes down to supporting treaty rights

or trashing them as we have done for 300 years. They should resume whaling,

and the government should spend the money to prevent violence. It has

everything to do with their cultural identity, something we don't know much

about considering what we've done to millions of Indians since Columbus.

 

--paul, webmaster http://globalcircle.net

peace and liberty, sustainability and justice

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

 

On 1/15/02 at 7:04 PM wrote:

 

>There is 1 message in this issue.

>

>Topics in this digest:

>

> 1. Action alert - Makah whaling hunt

> " Dian Hardy " <tacitus

>

>

>______________________

>______________________

>

>Message: 1

> Mon, 14 Jan 2002 12:25:02 -0800

> " Dian Hardy " <tacitus

>Action alert - Makah whaling hunt

>

>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

>Friday / January 11, 2002

>

>Contact: Tami Drake or Jonathan Paul 541-944-9147

> Sandy Abels 206-361-0736

> Will Anderson 206-715-6414

>

>

>

>

>$1.2 Million May Go to Whale Killing Efforts In Washington State, FOIA

>Documents Show

>

> SEATTLE, WA - More than $1.2 million in taxpayer dollars may soon be used

>to fund the killing of whales off the coast here, according to documents

>received under the Freedom of Information Act.

>

> The monies are being used to fund similar whaling practices practiced in

>Japan that are condemned by the U.S. government.

>

> The Makah Tribe has requested funds in excess of $1,200,000 for a

> " research/enforcement " vessel to assist in the tribe's whale hunting

>activities. The documents further outline a request for $70,000 in

>salaries, fringe benefits, consultant fees and indirect costs relating to

>their request for a whale quota at the upcoming meeting of the

>International

>Whaling Commission to begin in Japan in May.

>

> " Since the tribe's decision to revive its whaling tradition after a

nearly

>80 year hiatus, millions of dollars in public funds have been expended by

>federal, state and county governments on behalf of the tribe - to the

>detriment of the majority of citizens opposed to the inhumane and

>controversial killing of gray whales in Washington State, " said Chuck

Owens

>of Peninsula Citizens for the Protection of Whales.

>

> The latest proposal from the tribe requests that the US Government

provide

>funding for a vessel that can operate in rough seas 40 miles off the

>Pacific

>Coast, which is rich in many species of whales and other marine mammals

>that

>migrate through all months of the year.

>

> " We are neither shocked nor surprised at the request for funds for a

>vessel. We have stated from the beginning that the tribe intends to step

>up

>their " cultural " whaling activity and to include other species of whales.

>Now it appears they want the US government to pay for it, " added U.S.

>Citizens Against Whaling President, Sandy Abels.

>

> According to Jeff Pantukhoff of the Whaleman Foundation: " The Makah

>tribe's

>request to obtain a vessel for " scientific research " is a thinly veiled

>plan

>to conduct whaling under the guise of research as the Japanese have done

>since the moratorium on commercial whaling came into effect in 1986. It

>must be remembered that the tribe, in the not too distant past, inquired

>about building and operating a slaughterhouse/processing plant for whales,

>seals, sea lions and other marine mammals. They have repeatedly admitted

>that they would like to conduct commercial whaling and have specifically

>reserved their right to do so. "

>

> " Federally funded whale hunting in US waters is something we would have

>never expected to see in the 21st century. The United States condemns the

>Japanese government's policy of killing whales under the guise of

>scientific

>research. It is unimaginable to think that we would not only allow the

>Makah whalers to do the same thing, but to fund it with our tax dollars "

>said Jonathan Paul of Ocean Defense International.

>

> " Given our nation's many pressing needs and priorities, the funding

>requested by the Makah tribe for the killing of whales must be denied by

>the

>US Government, " said Will Anderson of Friends of the Gray Whale.

>

>-30-

>

>

>

>For those of you who want to ask NOAA to spend that $1.2 million on much

>needed research like cost effective whale friendly fishing gear, the

>effects

>of global warming on amphipods or the effects of low frequency sonar. Send

>comments to Conrad Lautenbacher Jr. the new head of NOAA at

>Conrad.C.Lautenbacher.

>

>

>Sandra Abels

>U.S. Citizens Against Whaling

> " Saving Our Oceans One Whale At A Time "

>www.usagainstwhaling.org

>

>

>

>

>______________________

>______________________

>

>

>

>

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