It seems unreal and yet it is true: it is news these days that the funds allocated to help the areas affected by the tsunami and the consequent nuclear disaster in Japan of Fukushima are being diverted to protect the annual Antarctic whaling.
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
It seems unreal and yet it is true: it is news these days that the funds allocated to help the areas affected by the tsunami and the subsequent nuclear disaster in Japan's Fukushima are being hijacked to protect the annual Antarctic whaling.
According to the authorities, it would be about 2.28bn yen ($ 30 million), taken from a reconstruction fund and diverted for reinforce security for the whaling fleet Japanese, who this week secretly left the Shimonoseki port (in southern Japan) under close surveillance (local media report an unknown number of coast guard officers, a patrol ship and other "security measures" ).
La Commercial whaling was in fact suspended in Japan in 1987, but the country exploits a loophole in international regulations to launch what it calls "Hunting expeditions for scientific purposes". The meat of the approximately one thousand whales killed during these hunts is actually resold to pay for part of the shipments and 10 million dollars from public money are used to support the campaign every year.
So, they must have said, why not also use the money raised to help the victims of the tsunami? L'Japanese Fisheries Agency he justifies this decision by the fact that "safer" fishing (can whale fishing be "safe"?) could help the coastal cities involved in the tragic episodes of March to recover economically. Vision obviously not shared by the gi environmentalists: "Not only is the whaling industry unable to survive without large increases in government donations, it is now also tapping into the money allocated for the tsunami, just when they need it most," said Junichi Sato, executive director. from Greenpeace Japan. "We are truly hitting rock bottom, both from the shameful whaling industry and the callous politicians who support it."
For this, even the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, is preparing to face this battle against an expedition that, it is estimated, will lead to the killing of about 930 fin whales: "Last year we chased them all the way to South America and it was then that they decided to go back earlier than expected" said Paul Watson, head of the company. “We have already defeated them economically. Now we have to defeat them politically ”.
Eleonora Cresci
