[IMC-UK-Features] Feature proposal: Canadian Coast Guard Storms Conservation Vessel for Documenting Seal Hunt

[wietse]

Hiya,

I would like to propose the following feature:

Canadian Coast Guard Storms Conservation Vessel for Documenting Seal Hunt
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/UkSeaShepherdSeals2008

Cheers, Wietse

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Title: Canadian Coast Guard Storms Conservation Vessel for Documenting 
Seal Hunt

Image: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/images/2008/04/396373.jpg

Abstract:

<p>
On 12th April the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Farley Mowat 
was <a href="/en/2008/04/396372.html">attacked</a> by armed officers 
from the Canadian Coast Guard. The 1st officer and the captain of the 
ship have been arrested and will be brought before a court in Canada <a 
href="/en/2008/04/395746.html">charged with offences</a> related to 
coming too close to the seal hunt. One woman allegedly sustained a head 
injury when was roughed up and received a blow to the head by an 
officer.</p>
<p>
The Sea Shepherd has been <a 
href="/en/2008/03/395068.html">documenting</a> the Canadian seal hunt 
since the middle of March. On the 30th March, the Coast Guard <a 
href="/en/2008/03/395080.html">rammed</a> the Sea Shepherd ship twice, 
in an attempt to keep it away from the seal hunt. On 5th April, the ship 
was <a href="/en/2008/04/395703.html">attacked by a mob</a> of 30-40 
angry seal hunters while anchored in the French island of St. Pierre. 
The crew of the Farley Mowat has been documenting violations of the 
humane regulations and gathering proof that seals are still being killed 
in an inhumane manner. The EU Parliament will be voting on an <a 
href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/europe/eu-to-call-for-ban-on-canadian-seal-imports-800603.html">import 
ban on seal products</a> later this year. The Canadian goverment has 
been actively <a 
href="http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=412485">lobbying</a> 
to show that the hunt has become <em>'humane and sustainable'</em>.</p>
<p>
<strong>On the newswire:</strong> <a 
href="/en/2008/04/396372.html">Armed Canadian Coast Guard Storms Sea 
Shepherd Ship and Arrests Crew</a> | <a 
href="/en/2008/04/395746.html">Canada To Charge Sea Shepherd Crew For 
Documenting Seal Hunt</a> | <a href="/en/2008/04/395703.html">Sea 
Shepherd Crew Attacked By Mob Of Seal Hunters</a> | <a 
href="/en/2008/04/395481.html">Interview With Captain Onboard Sea 
Shepherd Ship On Current Seal Hunt</a> | <a 
href="/en/2008/03/395080.html">Canadian Coast Guard Rams Sea Shepherd 
Ship (twice)</a> | <a href="/en/2008/03/395068.html">Sea Shepherd Moves 
In On Canadian Seal Slaughter</a></p>
<p>
<strong>Previous features:</strong> <a 
href="/en/2008/03/394930.html">Nottingham Activist Returns From Whale 
Saving Mission In Antartica</a> | <a 
href="/en/2008/03/393165.html">Injured Among Sea Shepherd Crew As 
Japanese Military Open Fire</a> | <a 
href="/en/2008/01/389842.html">Activists Held Hostage By Japanese 
Whalers In Southern Ocean</a></p>
<p>
<strong>Links:</strong> <a href="http://seashepherd.org">Sea Shepherd 
Conservation Society</a> | <a 
href="http://www.canadiansealhunt.com/">Canadian Seal Hunt</a> | <a 
href="http://www.harpseals.org/">Harpseals.org</a> | <a 
href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_hunting">Wikipedia on Seal 
Hunt</a></p>

Article body:

<p>
According to Sea Shepherd, just before the boarding, Captain Alex 
Cornelissen informed the boarders that the Farley Mowat is a Dutch 
registered ship in international waters and that Canada had no legal 
right to restrict the free passage of the vessel through international 
waters. It is repotrted that the Sea Shepherd ship was in the Gulf of 
St. Lawrence at the time of the boarding, which is well beyond the 
Canadian twelve mile territorial limit.</p>
<p>
According to Canada's Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn, the 
<em>"safety and security"</em> of the sealers is the government's main 
focus and the seizing of the Sea Shepherd vessel will ensure a <em>"safe 
and orderly"</em> seal hunt. Last week, the same Mr. Hearn announced 
that Canada would lay charges against the captain and first officer of 
the anti-sealing vessel for coming too close to the seal hunt.</p>
<p>
According to Captain Paul Watson, (president of the Sea Shepherd) he was 
on the phone with the Farley Mowat when he heard the voices of men 
screaming for the crew to fall to the floor. The men carried guns 
according to the communications officer he was talking to. According to 
Watson, the satellite phone then went dead and nothing more has been 
heard from the Sea Shepherd crew.  The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society 
is assuming that the video tapes will be seized by the Canadian 
authorities. There were 17 crewmembers onboard the Dutch registered 
Farley Mowat from the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Sweden, 
South Africa, Canada and the United States.</p>
<p>
The Sea Shepherd has a <a 
href="http://www.seashepherd.org/seals/seals_sscs_history.html">long 
history</a> opposing the canadian seal hunt, going out in 1976 for the 
first time. Due to the activities by Sea Shepherd the gray seal hunt in 
the Scottish Orkney Islands was shut down. The Canadian considers the 
organisation the most aggressive threat to Canadian sealers.</p>