You may be well aware that Broome in Western Australia holds a sister town relationship with Taiji in Japan. They have held this relationship since 1981. Due to the recent exposure of the 2400 dolphins killed annually in Taiji, Broome revoked their status as sister town in August last year. They then re-instated their relationship less than two months later apologising to the Japanese people and the Japanese government for the hastiness of their decision.
As an Australian I find it outrageous that an Australian city can support a town that brutally murders thousands of cetaceans annually. If Taiji slaughtered 2400 humans annually would Broome still hold ties with them? I think not! Why do our governments constantly back down to international pressures. If the murder is to end we need to stand together and we need the Broome council to cut ties with Taiji until that time comes.
Please address an e-mail to shire@broome.wa.gov.au The letter needs to be addressed to the chief executive officer and can follow a similar format to the letter that I wrote below. If we keep urging the Broome government to cut their ties with Taiji they will have no choice but to do so. Together we can make a difference!
Dear council,
It has come to my attention that Broome holds a sister town relationship with Taiji in Japan. As you are all well aware of Taiji is the home of the largest drive hunt in the world, killing 2300-2400 cetaceans each year in a brutal, inhumane massacre. I am a marine biologist with a focus on cetacean ecology, behaviour and interaction. I have spent a lot of time studying these amazing mammals and researching their communication, both with each other and with humans. Their intelligence is astounding. The more we study them the more complex they become and, in some regards, the less we actually know!
I currently work in support of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and will be heading over to Taiji to stop this senseless slaughter. We have a team of dedicated volunteers who have been there since September and will remain there until March. I find it an outrage that Australian can still hold a close relationship with a town that is under scrutiny from the entire world for the murder they are committing, especially in light of the Australian government publicly opposing what the Japanese are doing in regards to cetacean 'harvesting'.
The decision to end the sister town relationship with Taiji in August of 2009 was obviously a tough one, however it was a decision that had to be made to re-affirm that Australians do not support this. As councilors representing your people and their beliefs you have a fundamental right to support them. Going back on your decision less than two months later shows complete cowardice and once again reflects Australian governments inability to stand by their convictions, instead buckling under the pressure of international relations. I have utmost respect for the Japanese people and understand that over 90% of them are unaware of the terrible acts that their government is committing towards marine life worldwide. The more the Japanese are becoming aware, the more they are opposing what is happening.
The majority of Australia opposes cetacean 'harvesting', the majority of the world opposes cetacean 'harvesting' however, a small town in Western Australia, through keeping a sister-town relationship with Taiji makes protecting these creatures more difficult than it needs to be. If Taiji was slaughtering 2400 humans a year would Broome still hold a sister town relationship with them? What's the difference? Why do we hold our lives in such high esteem yet we disregard beings that scientifically are more intelligent than we are?
As council I urge you to cut ties with Taiji until this slaughter ends. Explain alternate ways to make profits through cetacean education, research and tourism. Explain that there is more money to be made in conserving cetaceans, rather than 'harvesting' them. Show Japan that Australia will not bow to pressure and that we are strong enough to stand on our own two feet and stand up for what we believe in. The word is out and we will not stop until you side with us, however many e-mails, phone calls, protests it takes we need your support and we need you to cut ties with Taiji until they stop the slaughter!
For the Oceans,
Karl Goodsell
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