Greenpeace
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 22, 2006
6:54 AM
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CONTACT: Greenpeace
Greenpeace International communications officer Suzette Jackson +31 6 4619 7324
Greenpeace International Spokesperson Mike Townsley currently in St Kitts +31 621 296 918
Video and stills available from Greenpeace International Video Desk +31 6 4619 7322
Greenpeace International Photo Desk +31 6 5381 9255
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Wake-up Call for the World - Whales Protection Goes Beyond IWC
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ST KITTS AND NEVIS - June 22 - St Kitts arrest and court charges update: The ten activists and crew from the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise arrested yesterday following a peaceful protest held after the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in St Kitts were released an hour ago and minor charges were handed down. Yesterdays peaceful protest was attempting to draw the world's attention to the estimated number of whales killed by Japanese whalers during the last whaling season in the so-called Southern Oceans Whale Sanctuary.
Mike Townsley, Greenpeace International spokesperson and a recently
released arrestee had this to say "The amount in fines we were given is
nothing compared to the priceless diversity lost each year by whaling
and continued ocean destruction. The irony is the St Kitts Government
is open to 'vote-buying' as they received US$ 5,359,094 from Japan as
aid for their marine industry days after last years IWC meeting. It is
no longer acceptable for nations of the world to hide behind the IWC
and pay lip service to this once a year event. "
The peaceful protest was carried out by activists and crew from the
Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise which had been barred from St Kitts
waters when it arrived last weekend prior to the start of the IWC
meeting. Attempting to create a symbolic "whale graveyard" display
using 863 cardboard whale tails to represent each of the whales killed,
the protestors were stopped and arrested by the police. (1)
The IWC concluded with debate still raging, but a clear outcome was
Greenpeace vowing to continue protecting the worlds' whales outside of
discussion forums and asking global citizens to join it on their
journey and become an 'ocean defender' and work together to stop the
slaughter. www.oceans.greenpeace.org "Greenpeace is
dedicated to protecting whales and the environment they live in and we
will return to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary later this year.
Greenpeace will continue to defend and stop the killing of as many of
the 935 minke whales and ten fin whales which will be the target of the
Fisheries Agency of Japan's grenade tipped harpoons," concluded
Townsley.
Greenpeace's campaign for an end to whaling is part of the most
ambitious ship expedition ever undertaken by the environmental advocacy
organisation. The 14-month long "Defending our Oceans" expedition is
exposing the key threats to our oceans and offering real solutions, a
global network of properly enforced marine reserves covering 40 percent
of the worlds oceans: places that will be protected from industrial
exploitation and destruction, from industrial fishing and hunting, and
places from which our oceans can begin the process of repair and
recovery.
Notes to Editor
(1) ARRESTEES
ARCTIC SUNRISE SHIP CREW
Daniel Bravo MEXICO
Ana Paula Maciel BRAZIL
Barbara Vitoria BRAZIL
Joslei Leffa BRAZIL
Veronica Lameck BRAZIL
ON SHORE, NORTH FRIGATE BAY, ST KITTS
Mike Townsley SCOTLAND
Buffy Baumann US
Francisco Gil PORTUGAL
Milko Schvartzman ARGENTINA
Steffi Werner GERMANY
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