RICHARD FREEMAN: Sea Shepherd squares up to whale murderers once more

This month Japan has confirmed its whaling fleet will be returning to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to slaughter whales again despite international disgust and condemnation. In an act of cowardice that beggars belief the Japanese government has boosted security for the fleet by 17 million pounds! This makes no financial sense and it seems to have been done just to spite other countries.

Sea Shepherd's Captain Paul Watson says…

“It now seems the Japanese government is simply obsessed with killing whales not for need, and not for profit, but because they believe they have the right to do what they wish and kill whatever they wish in an established international whale sanctuary, just for the sake of defending their misplaced ‘honour’. It's a disgrace”.

Anyone can see there is no ‘honour’ from the people, who at an international meeting on whaling last year tried to buy the votes of delegates from third world countries with bribes of money, alcohol and women.

Sea Shepherd will return to the remote waters for their Eighth Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign with a stronger anti-whaling fleet in early December 2011 to protect the whales.

Sea Shepherd will return to the remote waters for their Eighth Antarctic Whale Defense Campaign with a stronger anti-whaling fleet in early December 2011 to protect the great whales.
‘They will have to kill us to prevent us from intervening once again,' said Captain Watson. ‘Are the Japanese people ready to take human lives in defense of this horrifically cruel and illegal slaughter of endangered and protected species of whales? Do we have to die to appease Japanese honour?

'If so, my answer to the Japanese government is "hoka hey" - Lakota for ‘it's a good day to die' - and we will undertake whatever risks to our lives will be required to stop this invasion of arrogant greed into what is an established sanctuary for the whales.'

Operation Divine Wind will send more than 100 volunteers to the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary to defend the whales. ‘We intend to stop them and we will stop them - that's a promise,' said Peter Hammarstedt, first officer on Sea Shepherd ship Bob Barker.

800 whales were saved by last year’s Se Shepherd operation.