SEA SHEPHERD REFUTES BRAINLESS CHARGES OF RACISM Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - Sea Shepherd June 11, 1999 Position Statement of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society On Makah Whaling On May 17, 1999, the United States joined Japan and Norway in becoming a pirate whaling nation. The fact is that the international Whaling Cornmission (IWC) has not recognized the Makah whale hunt. The hunt does not meet the criteria under the rules of the IWC. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society opposes the whale hunt for this reason and this reason alone. It is an illegal hunt under the regulations of the IWC. The Society will cease to oppose the hunt if the Makah Tribal Council, or the United States government can produce a ruling from the IWC with the required two-thirds majority needed to approve the Makah whale hunt. We believe this is a reasonable and responsible position and we will not allow our position to be changed by anything other than a ruling of the IWC. If the hunt is legally recognized as the United States and the Makah claim, then production of the documentation from the IWC will obligate the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society to retire from the debate. It would be racist and discriminatory for us to ignore this violation. All people are equal under these regulations. To condone the illegal Makah hunt and to condemn the illegal Japanese and Norwegian hunt would be hypocritical. We respect the Makah Nation, and for this reason we will oppose illegal Makah whaling in the same equal manner that we oppose illegal Japanese and Norwegian whaling. Captain Paul Watson Founder and President Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ===================================== Sea Shepherd Conservation Society P.O. Box 628 Venice, CA. 90294 USA e-mail: seashepherd@seashepherd.org Web Site: http://www.seashepherd.org Tel: 310-301-SEAL(7325) Canada: 604-688-7325 Fax: 310-574-3161 ===================================== ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytrc-06.13.99-03:34:11-20202