Solidarity Calls For Activists Held Hostage By Japanese Whalers

All of this activity has taken place in the area of 60 Degrees South and 78 Degrees East. All activity has been documented from the Sea Shepherd helicopter and the fast moving Delta vessel. The Steve Irwin has dispatched a small fast Delta boat and a helicopter to attempt to persuade the Yushin Maru No. 2 to stop and release the hostages. Captain Paul Watson has notified the Australian Federal Police that he would like to see kidnapping charges brought against the Japanese whalers. The Australian government and the British Embassy have been informed that their citizens are being held hostage on an illegally operated Japanese whaling ship in International waters.

Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson will turn over authority to the Australian government to enforce the court ruling against illegal whaling in the Australian Antarctic Economic Exclusion Zone upon request from the Australian government and an agreement that Australia will enforce the court's ruling to bar all Japanese whaling activities in the Australian Antarctic Territory.

The letter taken aboard:

To: The Captain of any Japanese ship involved with poaching operations in The Australian Antarctic Territorial Economic Exclusion Zone.

Sir,

My name is Giles David Lane

I am a British citizen and an unpaid volunteer on the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Steve Irwin.

I have come onboard your ship because you have refused to acknowledge communication from our ship pertaining to your illegal activities in the waters of the Australian Antarctic Territorial Economic Exclusion Zone.

I am not boarding your ship with the intent to commit a crime, to rob you or to inflict injury upon your crew and yourself or damage to your ship. My reason for boarding is to deliver the message that you are in violation of international conservation law and in violation of the laws of Australia. It is my intent to deliver this message and then to request that you allow me to disembark from your vessel without harm or seizure.

I am empowered to act to uphold these laws in accordance with the United Nations World Charter for Nature and the laws of Australia.

I am boarding you with the request that you please refrain from any further criminal activity in these waters and cease and desist with the continued killing of endangered whales in this designated Whale Sanctuary in violation of the IWC global moratorium on commercial whaling and that you cease and desist in continued violations of Australian law by killing whales within the territorial waters of Australia without permit or permission from the government of Australia.

I am boarding you on the orders of Captain Paul Watson who requests that you treat me with respect and in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

Background articles from Indybay: Activists held Hostage by Whalers in Whale Sanctuary | Japanese Whaling Found to be Illegal under Australian Law | Sea Shepherd: Japanese Whalers Kidnap Whale Defenders | Japanese Whaling fleet Found by Greenpeace in Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary | Australia: Animal Liberation protests whaling slaughter at Japanese Consulate | Commercial Whaling given Unofficial nod by US-Japan deal | Australia: Animal Liberation targets Japanese Consulate over Whaling | Whaling Protests continue despite Reprieval for Humpbacks | Sea Shepherd extends olive branch to Greenpeace to find Whalers | New Zealand Yachtie to challenge Japanese Whaling Fleet | Sea Shepherd Halts Hunt for Whalers to seek Repairs in Hobart | Australia: Conservation groups call on Government to act on Whaling | Whaling Confrontation Brewing in Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary