Cross Posted from News International
Japan is the subject of a worldwide grass roots campaign designed to stop the killing of dolphins and whales by the Japanese people.
Ecoterra is conducting a campaign to get citizens around the World to take their own action. Ecoterra believes that the voice of everyday people will be effective in blocking Japan’s bid to hold the 20120 Olympics.
A petition has been created and distributed.
The petition calls for the President, Secretary General, Treasurer and all the Members of the Olympic Committee to listen to the citizens of the World who want Japan to stop its marine killing business. They want Japan to be removed from the candidate list for the 2020 games.
The people of Japan regularly kill dolphins and whales for food. It is clear from evidence obtained for the Australian government court case against Japan, that sea mammal flesh is a high price luxury and not day to day basic food. Should the people of Japan stop killing marine mammals, none of its people would starve.
Japan claimed in the court case that is awaiting a decision after evidence taking is over, that it kills whales to look after the species. Other nations look after whales by stopping Japanese whaling entreprises, supported by the government, from killing them.
Australia is taking legal action against Japan to bring to a halt the annual trip that Japanese ships make to Antarctic waters to kill whales for meat ( in the name of research ).
Other protesters like Sea Shepherd believe that where possible, avoiding buying anything from Japan will send a message that sea mammals are not like sea weed but are intelligent, have family structures and are not on the earth to be eaten in Japanese homes or restaurants.
We will continue to report on this issue to see if a strong and growing global civil protest will be effective in convincing Japan’s government that it will not be allowed to conduct the Olympic Games while it ignores the growing anger at its oceanic slaughter.
Here is the petition.
DENY JAPAN’s BID FOR THE 2020 OLYMPICS UNTIL IT STOPS WHALING & KILLING DOLPHINS!
VERY URGENT! It will only take a minute, please follow these simple instructions:
(1) “COPY” the draft email below to and “PASTE” it into a new mail.
(2) “FILL IN” your name or organisation & country where it is shown below at FROM:
- and you might want to add your own sentences.
(3) “SEND” to the Olympic Committee! using the following addresses: [email protected] and[email protected]
BCC your mail to: ECOP MARINE < [email protected]>
We strongly appeal to you to deny Japan’s bid for the 2020 Olympics, until it stops slaughtering whales and dolphins. This cruel, barbaric and unnecessary practice causes great pain and suffering to these magnificent endangered creatures and has no place in the 21st century.
Whales are cruelly slaughtered with harpoons which explode in their bodies. Being so enormous, these animal sometimes take several hours to die in agony, the sea around them turning red with their blood. People who try and save these whales risk their very lives, as they use non-violent methods, but are confronted with great violence and have had their boats destroyed by the whalers. Sadly, this is not discouraged in any way by the Japanese Government.
Dolphin mass-slaughters are equally cruel, they are driven to shore and massacred regularly in Japan and there is just no justification whatsoever for killing these beautiful and intelligent animals.
Japan is the most prolific whaling nation, with just one or two other countries. Whaling is a very ancient cultural pursuit, which many countries indulged in, but that was in the past and most countries in the world recognize that this very cruel and unnecessary practice is unacceptable and has no place in the modern world. What sort of cultural values would Japan be displaying for these Games?
The International Whaling Commission each year has found it impossible to curtail Japan’s voracious appetite for this practice and every year any moves to stop whaling are thwarted by Japan, quite openly “buying” the votes of developing countries so that they will vote with Japan to continue whaling. How is this ethical? Would it promote peaceful principals and a positive legacy to have Japan as the host country?
The Olympic Committee should seriously consider the impact of letting Japan win this bid. The Games should be something to bring peoples of every nation together in harmony, not divide them on an issue as contentious and controversial as this. Japan cannot be given the kudos and prestige these Games would give them, as they are denying fundamental ethical practices and there is certainly no fair play in the slaughter of these animals.
We ask how this can possibly promote a positive image for sport if Japan wins the bid, as there are bound to be many protests and disruptive action at the Games by supporters of whales and dolphins, who feel very passionately about this emotive issue? Does the Committee need to leave itself open to this and risk spoiling the Games and tarnishing its reputation? While Istanbul and undemocratic Turkey are in turmoil right now and its political future not clear, Madrid has presented itself well and would be far better placed to host these Games in the present climate.
Saving our environment means saving ourselves and this has become an important priority in most countries.
We appeal to you to make the right decision, to uphold your high principles and deny Japan’s bid for the 2020 Olympic Games.
